Teen Titans: B Team
by Mr. Bigg
Summary: The Titans have been captured by a meglomaniacal scientist and his private army. Now a group must rescue them
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.  
  
LOCATION: Titan Tower  
  
"Phew. Another day, another dollar," Beast Boy sighed, plopping on the couch as he turned on the TV.  
"You spent all day lying around and making up candy bars," Raven retorted, looking up from her book.  
"Hey, when the Banzai bar hits the market, you'll be singing a different tune. 'Oh Beast Boy, I was wrong to doubt your vast knowledge of superior candy bar qualities!'" Beast Boy teased. The silly grin left his face when Raven blew up the remote. "Hey! That's not cool!" Beast boy shouted.  
"What a coincidence, neither are you. Just kidding, BB," Cyborg said, walking into the room and making a b-line for the fridge. He produced a large packet of cheese, which he sniffed carefully. "Yo, how long has this cheese been in here?" Cyborg asked. "It smells all funky."  
"That's not the cheese. Rave blew up another remote," Beast Boy said sullenly, kneeling over the appliance's charred remains.  
"What is that marvelous smell!? Are we having Udentarian kabobs for dinner?" Starfire asked excitedly, flying into the room.  
"Uh, no Starfire. Raven blew up the remote," Robin said from the corner, gesturing towards the grieving Beast Boy and Cyborg.  
"It was such a good remote. Its buttons were extra cushy..." Beast Boy said sadly.  
"Why!? Do they give us stuff only to take it away!?" Cyborg wailed, shaking his fist at the ceiling.  
"Who the heck is 'they'?" Robin asked.  
"You know. The, uh, powers that be," Beast Boy explained as Cyborg swore vengeance at various gods.  
Raven was about to comment, when she caught something moving in the corner of her vision. She turned slowly, only to find nothing. She returned to her book, but gave when quick glance around the room. To her dismay, she saw several shadows appear in odd places.  
"Robin," She muttered quickly. Robin looked at her and instantly understood. He, along with the remaining Titans, tensed. Suddenly, Starfire let out a scream of pain as she fell to the ground. A trickle of blood revealed she had been clubbed on the head.  
"They're invisible!" Robin shouted, leaping into the air. Beast Boy transformed into a large bat, using echo location to find his adversaries. He landed on one's head, scratching like mad at the invisible foe. His paltry attacks, while not inflicting any damage, managed to break the invisibility shield. With a few sparks, the attacker appeared in plain site.  
"Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!" Raven shrieked, hurling the foe through the large glass wall with all her might.  
"Beast Boy! Where are they!?" Cyborg shouted, his cannon shooting wildly. Beast Boy shouted something, but screamed as a tranquilizer dart pierced his ribcage. He slumped over babbling incoherently until he passed out.  
"Beast boy!" Cyborg shouted in despair. Suddenly, he felt someone hack into his main processor, cutting his mind off from his body. Strong arms kept him from falling over, as another invisible attacker aimed Cyborg's cannon at Robin.  
Robin! Look out! Cyborg's mind screamed. The beam left his cannon, slamming into Robin's back. The impact threw Robin across the room, forcing him through a wall. He groaned from his resting place, clearly too injured to move. Before Cyborg could react, his cannon aimed itself at Raven. Several successive shots rang out as the battered and bruised Raven collapsed.  
Suddenly, the attackers became invisible. They were clad in black combat suits, with masks that shrouded their features. "Gather the fallen," One said. The others set to work hauling Cyborg's comrades to an unknown location.  
One of the black-masked faces filled Cyborg's field of vision. "Sorry, Mr. Roboto, but we need to shut ya down. Nighty night!" The attacker cackled, as Cyborg's world went black. 


	2. Chapter 1: The Begining

Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.  
  
LOCATION: Titan Tower  
  
Police boats circled the waters surrounding Titan Tower, looking for some trace of the missing heroes. On the island itself, K-9 units combed every nook and cranny of the rocky shore, leaving no stone unturned. In the Tower's common room, the city's police commissioner and a team of forensic scientists dug through the rubble. "What a mess," The commissioner said sadly, surveying the area. "Keep searching boys! You're not paid by the job!" "You won't find anything here," A voice said from behind Commissioner. The commissioner whirled around to face a tall, hawk-faced man dressed in a military uniform. Besides him stood a teenage girl dressed in standard military fatigues.  
"The Army? What the hell are you guys doing here?" The commissioner asked, flabbergasted at the presence of such a high-ranking official.  
"Not the Army, commissioner. At least, not exactly. I'm Commander Tristan Rayfe. I've been sent here by the P.I.A. We're taking over the investigation," The commander replied.  
"Wait, what's the P.I.A.?!" The Commissioner asked angrily. He hardly got to do any police work with the Teen Titans as is without the government stepping in. Needless to say, he was a little more than steamed.  
"It's the Paranormal Information Agency. It's best if you don't ask any questions- it pisses the head officers off," Commander Rayfe responded, showing the commissioner his I.D. card.  
"Whoa! Security level nine!" The Commissioner exclaimed. "All right fellas, pack your bags. We're out of here," The Commissioner barked. The forensic scientists quickly began to pack their tools.  
"Wait. What's this?" Commander Rayfe asked, plucking a minute plastic bag from one of the scientists.  
"Just a piece of wire. It probably was dislodged from the wall when it cracked," The scientist replied in a nasally tone.  
"I see. What kind of wiring does this tower use?" Commander Rayfe asked.  
The scientist flipped through various pages of blueprints. "It says here the Tower uses standard copper wiring. Why do you ask?" he asked.  
"Thank you. You are dismissed," The Commander replied, ignoring the scientist question. The flustered investigator left in a rush, along with his co-workers.  
When the room emptied, the young girl spoke. "What do you make of this, sir?" she asked quietly.  
"Well, it's quite obvious that our man did this. By leaving this wire behind, he might as well of written his name on the bathroom wall," The commander replied.  
"I suspected as much. But why would he strike here? I don't think he ever considered the Teen Titans a threat..." The girl replied.  
"We'll leave the big questions for the think tank. All we have to do now is find these wayward heroes," Rayfe replied. Suddenly, a ringing chirped from his belt. He took out a small PDA, eyeing the screen intently.  
"That was the top brass. They've given us the go-ahead to assemble a team," Rayfe said, walking out of the room.  
"Team, sir? I work better alone..." The girl said, with a hint of despair in her voice.  
"Not this time. The mission is too big for one person," Rayfe replied, heading outside. As he exited the tower, a helicopter began its descent.  
"May I ask who's coming with me, sir?" The girl asked.  
"I can do you one better," Rayfe said, climbing into the helicopter as it landed. He handed the girl a manila folder bearing a confidential sticker. "I used some old contacts I have to pick your team members. Trust me, they won't slow you down," he added.  
Rayfe turned to signal the pilot for take off. The girl opened the folder, leafing through its contents. "I hope you're right, sir. For all our sakes." 


	3. Chapter 2: A Villain Revealed

Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.  
  
LOCATION: Unknown (Earth's upper atmosphere)  
  
Robin's battered form rested on the floor of a cell.  
"Get up," a cold voice demanded. To Robin , the voice sounded as though it was over fifty miles away.  
"I said GET UP!" The voice roared. Robin cried out as the stranger booted him in the stomach, spreading pain through his abdomen.  
Before he could discover, strong arms hauled him to his feet. Robin opened his eyes, finding himself surrounded by several burly, black-masked men. In front of stood a man of small stature, clad like a mad scientist from some monster movie. One of his eyes glittered, looking like it was made from liquid silver.  
"Greetings, young man. Welcome to my humble abode," he said dryly.  
"Wha... Who are you?" Robin demanded, straining against the arms of his captors.  
"Oh, Dr. Tyr will do nicely for now, hmm?" The doctor responded, taking on a bubbly disposition. "Anything else you need to ease your stay? I can have coffee brought up. Or tea, if you prefer," he offered.  
"Stop fooling around! Where are my friends!?" Robin demanded. The scientist gave Robin the cold shoulder. "I asked you where my friends are!"  
  
"There's no need to shout, Robin. You needn't worry about your dear friends; they're in perfectly fine hands. Well, I'm relatively sure they're fine hands, but I haven't been sure ever since they wouldn't allow me to do background checks on my henchmen anymore. Blasted unions..." Dr. Tyr mumbled.  
  
"Sir, you're rambling again," One of the masked guards chirped. "Thank you," Dr. Tyr said. His silver eye flashed and he smiled pleasantly at the guard, who promptly fell to the floor screaming. He clutched his arm, which seemed to spasm uncontrollably. Robin watched as the twitching arm started to balloon in size. The man's screams grew louder and louder as his arm grew in size. Robin turned his head, but could the sickening squelch as the inflated limb burst.  
"Bring him to the infirmary. And clean this mess up!" Dr. Tyr barked at two of the guards, who immediately dragged their crippled comrade out of the cell. He then switched his attention back to Robin "If you're so concerned about your friends, Robin, there right on this monitor," The doctor said as his eye flashed once more. An unseen projector displayed images on the cell wall. In the upper left portion, Beast Boy was seen standing stock-still as hundreds of lasers surrounded him. He faltered for a brief moment, banging into one of the beams of light. Instantly, hundreds of volts coursed through his body, causing Beast Boy to shriek in pain  
To the right, Starfire was suspended face-down over a large tank of water. She was slowly lowered to the waters surface, and then jerked back up as a huge crocodile lunged for her. Several more reptiles tried to catch her, only to fail. When the activity in the pool had calmed, the whole process began again.  
Below her, Raven struggled as she lay in the dark confines of a room no bigger than a coffin. She was half submerged in insects, which crawled all over his face and body. Tape covered he mouth, muffling any sound she might make, but Robin could tell she was absolutely terrified.  
Cyborg had his own problems. He stood in a plain, square room devoid of anything. His cannon arm had been taken, leaving him weaponless for whatever challenges awaited him. Suddenly, rock-hard jets of water erupted from hidden spouts in the wall, pounding into his large frame. The patterns alternated randomly, some using ice water, some employing near-scalding water.  
"A little physical and emotional injury builds character!" The Doctor laughed. "You're a monster," Robin said quietly.  
"Robin, Robin," Dr. Tyr said, shaking his head condescendingly. "History always dubs the greatest of men as 'monsters'." Dr. Tyr turned towards the remaining guards. "You lot make sure he watches every second of this. If he starts to slip, feel free to discipline him," He said, walking out of the cell.  
"Why are you doing this!?" Robin cried as the Dr. walked away.  
"All things in due time, Robin. In the meanwhile, enjoy the movie! I hear the ending's a real shocker!" The doctor responded, disappearing from sight.  
Robin turned his attention back to the movie, using his friend's suffering to fuel his rage. When he got out, that Doctor would find out the true meaning of physical and emotional injury... 


	4. Chapter 3: Transcendent

Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.  
  
LOCATION: Somewhere in the lofty peaks of China's southwest mountains...  
  
The elder sage darted into the courtyard and the boy pursued.  
  
It was a lush, forest-themed plot with long grass and thick-trunk evergreens. The boy strode slowly into the uninviting darkness created by the overhanging branches. As he walked, unseen birds chirped from their perches. Below his sandaled feet, dead needles hissed as the boy treaded on them. He came to a clearing, formed by a ring of ancient pines that groaned in the wind.  
  
The boy glanced at the murky darkness around him. Wherever the elder sage was, he was not showing himself.  
  
The boy, realizing his eyes were useless in the dark, took a meditative stance. He stood for maybe fifteen minutes as he breathed less and less.  
  
Soon, the world around him changed. Everything, every sound, smell, and feeling, assaulted his sense with blinding clarity. Regardless of the sensations, he forced his mind to maintain focus.  
  
Soon, the boy's mind reached its zenith. In the moments to come, he was no longer the boy. Rather, he saw as the trees, the fallen pine needles, the birds, even as the wind. Through these eyes, he saw his goal. He had found his master.  
  
Returning to his original form, the boy calmly walked through the woods, stopping at the base of a particularly old tree. He gazed up at the trees' lofty boughs, his gazed returned by the pleased expression of his yellow- robed master.  
  
"You have done well to find me. But the test is only half over. Come!" The elder sage beckoned, leaping to the ground and running out of the courtyard. The boy knew that despite his master's age, his strength and speed were deadly.  
  
The boy followed his master to the large plaza in front of the monastery's main temple. The elder sage slowed his dash to a leisurely walk, greeting fellow monks as they hustled and bustled to places they were needed. The boy came to a stop besides his master, and was puzzled with his master's behavior. Had the elder sage led him out here to greet others of the order?  
  
Soon, the plaza was devoid of anyone, save the boy and his master. "The world is nice today, isn't it?" The elder sage asked his pupil. The pupil opened his mouth to reply, only to dodge an attack. The boy back flipped, landing countless feet away.  
  
The stones where the boy once stood shattered from the elder sage's blow. While the boy was shocked, his master wasted no time in preparing his next attack. The boy dodged every attack with grace, though it took all of his effort to do so. The elder sage kept his attacks coming, and the boy soon realized he would have use more than defense to get through the fight.  
  
The boy dashed to the far side, of the courtyard, placing enough distance between his master and himself to take an offensive stance.  
  
"RAGH!" The elder sage roared, charging his pupil. The boy bellowed his own war cry, preparing to strike as well. The boy grunted, feeling his master plant a solid blow in his stomach. HE smiled however, as he scored some hits on the elder sage's neck.  
  
The pair separated, each nursing his wounded area. The master bowed, signaling a temporary truce, and walked over to a nearby weapons store. He produced a wicked looking broadsword, adorned with a crimson-violet tail.  
  
"You have passed this portion. Now select your weapon!" The master said in a gruff tone.  
  
The boy calmly strode to the weapons closet and selected his favored weapon- a red handed naginata. The boy cut the air a few times, getting a sense of the weapon's balance. He then faced his master, ready to conclude the battle.  
  
The master ran once at the boy once more, decreasing the naginata's attack radius. The boy successfully managed to parry all of the blows, but growled in pain as he felt the sword's hilt slam into his back. The boy rammed the pole end of his weapon into the ground and vaulted over his master's head, landing on the far side of the plaza. The master smiled at the boy's tactic, but prepared himself for one more attack.  
  
The boy watched as his master took a new stance, one that he knew would result in his loss. The boy prepared himself as the master took aim.  
  
The master and the pupil ran towards each other, hearts racing, blood pounding in their ears, each prepared for what would be the final strike. As the master swung his sword, the boy leapt behind him, slamming the pole end into the master's back, leaving the old man sprawled on the plaza stonework.  
  
Though the blow could have easily disabled a normal man, the elder sage stood, laughing robustly. "Very good, young one. You have passed this test," the old man said kindly, patting his pupil's shoulder.  
  
"Thank you, master. Does this mean I will be accepted into the order?" The boy asked, anticipating a promising response.  
  
The benevolent grin on the master's face waned. "I am sorry. You cannot be allowed to join the order," The elder sage replied sadly.  
  
The boy furrowed his brow. He knew the order's traditions. He knew that by passing the trials, he proved himself as a competent brother. "But I have passed the test, just as every other one here has. What else must I do to prove myself?" The boy asked.  
  
"Proving yourself is not the problem. You have proved yourself many times over in my eyes. We elders never intended for you to be accepted. Your path is a different one," The elder sage replied.  
  
"My... path?" the boy asked.  
  
"Yes, young one. The time has come for the other elders and me to have a discussion with you. Come," The master beckoned, walking into the main temple. The boy hesitated for a second, then followed. 


	5. Chapter 4: Revelation

Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.  
  
Note to Sebastian1- Sorry, but this isn't a crossover fic. While some characters bare resemblance to other characters (Like Dr. Tyr is to Battle Angel Alita's Desty Nova), existing characters NOT from Teen Titans will not be in this fic. Though Randal and Dante would be a nice touch...  
  
LOCATION: Somewhere in the lofty peaks of China's southwest mountains...  
  
The boy noticed the temple air was thick and warm as the pungent aroma of incense saturated his every breath. He walked in front of the main shrine, a large mandala of colored sand set into the floor. Around the design sat four shadowy figures, with the elder sage standing next to them.  
"Is he the boy?" The first shadow asked.  
"Yes. The time we've feared is now at hand," said the elder sage.  
"Very well. Come," the second shadow said, beckoning at the boy.  
The boy hesitantly strode towards the shadows, being careful not to tread on the fragile mandala. The wall-mounted torches flickered with his every step, as the dancing lights did well to hide the identities of the shadows.  
"He is young. Are you certain he is ready? We risk much on your judgement," The third shadow commented, gazing at the boy.  
"Show them the weapon you used during your test," The elder sage said to the boy. The boy kneeled humbly, presenting the naginata as his master told him too.  
"Why did you select this weapon amongst all the others that were available?" the fourth shadow asked the boy.  
The boy hesitated with his answer, because he didn't really have an explanation. "The weapon has a perfect balance. It offers me a long range, and I feel comfortable wielding it against any who would challenge me," The boy said tentatively.  
"Surely that is proof that he is ready," The elder sage said to the council.  
"It may be, but caution is a virtue in our situation," the first shadow retorted.  
"Never the less, we shall proceed," the second shadow added.  
"Bring the boy," the third shadow said  
"And we shall set him free," the fourth shadow finished, as the four figures stood. The elder sage followed them into an adjoining room, and the boy followed his master. The room was small and devoid of anything of importance except a few urns on a shelf, but when the leading shadow changed the position of the urns, the far wall slid open to reveal a forbidding passage. The snaky corridor led into a larger chamber, deep below the temple.  
"Watch where you step, child," the first shadow said in a condescending manner. The boy pondered the phrase, finally noticing the floor was actually a massive mural, made of colored sands.  
"This mural is our most sacred treasure. It is over 9 centuries old," the elder sage commented as the boy gazed in wonder.  
"What is this strange language? I can't read it," the boy said.  
"It is old. The language itself is forgotten, but the story these characters tell is eternal," The second shadow replied  
"The story began with a kingdom at war. Villages were slaughtered. Innocents died. In the midst of the chaos, a man and woman bearing two children sought shelter in our walls. We aided them, but the man died suddenly. The woman, his wife, died soon after from grief.  
"Our order took the children in, and raised them as we have raised ourselves. These children, however, would not lead the meager lives of monks. The first child, a girl, stopped aging after 16 years. No matter how bad her injuries were, she recovered. She was the Girl Without Age.  
"The second child, a boy, was a different case. He exceeded in almost every task we gave him, be it trials of strength or mind exercises. His energies were endless. However fast the fastest monk was, he was faster, and however strong the strongest monk was, he was as strong. He was the Boy Without Limits.  
"The time of war came again. A peaceful kingdom approached us, asking us to negotiate a truce between sides. The Girl Without Age volunteered for this task, so the order let her go. "The girl returned some months later. Corrupted by the outside world, she laid waste to the monastery. Before the Girl could kill all the monks, however, the Boy stepped in. The two fought for days without a victor. Finally, the Boy landed a fatal blow, one that came with a terrible price. The Girl had landed one of her own, leaving the boy dead. With her wounds as grievous as they were, she fled," The third shadow explained. "The monks recorded their story, knowing that the time would come when the Boy would be reborn. I believe that time has come," The elder sage said, planting his hand on the Boy's shoulder. The boy's mind reeled. "That- that cannot be true. I am me, not somebody else!" he cried. "You are, Hotei. And now, you must fulfill your destiny," The shadows said. "What is a 'Hotei'? What destiny?" The boy asked frantically, his body shaking. "Hotei is your name. Your true name. The same name is inscribed in the blade of your weapon," The Elder sage said. Sure enough, when the boy saw the name carved amidst the intricate patterns on his naginata. "That naginata is yours. It has sat for centuries, waiting for you. The time has come to take it up once more," The Shadows said. "No," Hotei replied quietly. "What was that?" The Elder sage asked, his eyes going wide. "I said NO! I am not different! I am not a hero, not a savior! I am ME!" Hotei cried, fleeing from the chamber. "HOTEI, WAIT!" The Elder Sage roared, following his pupil. Hotei proved to be faster than his master- by the time the Elder Sage reached the courtyard, his pupil had already mounted the towering monastery walls, disappearing into the mountain mists. 


	6. Chapter 5: Envoy of Destiny

Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.  
  
LOCATION: Somewhere in the lofty peaks of China's southwest mountains...  
  
The helicopter touched down, whipping up dust clouds from the stone ground. The hit-tech chopper seemed out of place in the ancient monastery's courtyard. Monks stopped their daily routine, starring at the odd contraption that had literally landed on their front doorstep.  
Rayfe disembarked from the aircraft, surveying the scene before him. The monks made no move to either welcome him or rebel him; their piercing gazes merely judged him from afar. Soon, the Elder Sage came from one of the buildings, approaching Rayfe.  
"Tristan! It is good to see you again! I had thought you were to forget our pact!" the Elder Sage said happily, embracing Rayfe. Rayfe quickly ended the embrace, snapping into attention.  
"I am here to honor our agreement, old friend. Where is our parcel?" Rayfe asked, surveying the crowd.  
"He... has fled. I am afraid the truth was too much for him," The Elder Sage sighed despairingly. "He could be miles from here by now."  
"I doubt it. He's scared and confused; I should be able to find him just fine..." Rayfe said, turning to leave.  
The Elder Sage initially opened his mouth, planning to protest his friend's sudden departure, but pushed the thought from his mind. The boy had left him and the monastery on his own accord. The boy's fate now lay outside the archaic stone walls of the mountain shrine, in a world he never dreamed of. The monk could only wish the boy good fortune.  
As the helicopter lifted off, The Elder Sage thoughts turned to Rayfe. How long has it been since the soldier had last been here? As hazy as the memory was, Rayfe seemed... different somehow. Perhaps it was merely due to the passing of time, or maybe some misconception by the Elder Sage, but the difference still remained. The Elder sage pushed these thoughts from his head as well, uttering a blessing for his friend.  
  
"Sir, I'm picking up a heat signature on the scanner heading our way. ETA is 5 minutes," The pilot said through his microphone. "Should I intercept it?"  
"No. Land the chopper- that's our parcel," Rayfe replied.  
"Sir?" The girl asked, looking at Rayfe.  
"Sorry Private, but you'll have to wait in the car," Rayfe said as the helicopter touched down. He unstrapped himself, and made his way into the mountain fog.  
  
Hotei stopped his sprint suddenly, realizing that his blind run could place him in danger. He stared around at his surroundings. Hundreds of rocky outcroppings, a few wispy tufts of grace, nothing familiar. He walked to the edge of one of the outcroppings, kicking a pebble over the edge experimentally. Hotei watched its descent, turning away before he could see it hit the ground. Hotei grimaced at the landscape. It was barren, lifeless, unfamiliar, and now it was the only place he could go.  
He sighed, taking a seat on a nearby stone, slipping into deep thought. He did not know why he had fled the monastery. He did not know where he would go. The Elder Sage had once told him about the many large cities and towns people had built, but Hotei deemed them to fantastic to be real. He doubted anything could exist in this environment anyway. The only thing he did know for certain was that he would remain himself.  
Hotei's thoughts turned to anger. Looking to vent his frustrations, Hotei grabbed at the nearby stones, throwing them over the cliff. He did not want to be a hero, he did not want to be a savior! How can they tell him his life's only purpose is to kill someone he never met?! Had he no say? Was destiny absolute?! He hated the Shadows, he hated fate, he hated the Elder Sage-  
Hotei hesitated. He looked at the stone in his hand. Did he really hate his mentor? Of course not. He dropped the stone to the ground, letting out a long sigh. The air grew cold as the sun began to set.  
"It's a desolate place out here, isn't it?" A voice said from behind him. Hotei quickly leapt into a fighting stance, thrusting his naginata at the stranger. "It's ok, I mean you no harm," The stranger said. He stepped forward, seemingly appearing due to the mist.  
Hotei eyed the man warily. He wore some strange green garments the likes of which Hotei had never seen.  
"Who are you? What do you call yourself?" Hotei asked sharply. His normally naïve tone was now cautious.  
"I'm called Rayfe. Tristan Rayfe," the man said, stepping forward.  
"What do you want?" Hotei spat quickly.  
"There's no need for hostilities. I was just passing through, saw a fellow traveler, and wanted to take a break. Is that a crime?" The green stranger explained soothingly.  
"I suppose not. All the same, I'm not a traveler," Hotei said, letting his guard drop slightly.  
"Don't tell me you live out here?" 'Rayfe' said, cocking an eyebrow.  
"Yes... well, no actually. Not in this forsaken morass," Hotei said, glancing at the land before him.  
"I suppose it's none of my business, then. But this place doesn't have to remain desolate," Rayfe said, trailing off.  
"What do you mean? It was made desolate- desolate it shall remain," Hotei replied remorsefully.  
"Our finishes aren't determined by our beginnings. Even the greatest must start as the weakest," Rayfe explained.  
"Not me. I have started my life the way I will finish," Hotei said sadly. "It is the only future I want."  
"You are bold to challenge time itself, boy! But I can see you are wrong," Rayfe replied, laughing.  
"Wrong!? How is the choice I made wrong?" Hotei asked indignantly.  
"You have the look of a fate about you. You are one of destiny's chosen, perhaps? It is not certain, but I know one thing- you have been given grate power, though it sleeps deep in you. With that power, you could change this place into a land of bounty- a pittance compared to your true ability! You cannot ignore these gifts, Hotei!" Rayfe said.  
While shocked that Rayfe knew his name, Hotei was compelled by the stranger's words. Perhaps, perhaps he could have a choice. With his power, he could master his destiny.  
"What do you want?" Hotei repeated, shakily.  
"I want you to come with me. I want to show you your true self," Rayfe responded gravely.  
"If... if I go with you, will you teach me? Will you show me how this power inside me?" Hotei asked.  
Rayfe nodded. Hotei stood, dusting off his robes. "Then I will go," Hotei said. They left the cliff, shrouded in gray fog and green leaf. 


	7. Chapter 6: A Brief Reunion

Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.  
  
LOCATION: Unknown (Earth's upper atmosphere)  
  
"Better hurry up, dear, or you'll be late for school!" Rang a voice in Robin's skull.  
"Wha- What's going on?" Robin asked groggily. His world disappeared and reappeared under his eyelids, making him nauseas.  
"Wake up, Lazybones!" the voice rang again. Robin screamed as he felt a thunderbolt stream through his arm.  
"Nothing like a little electricity to jump start the day! Now wake up, all of you!" The voice cackled. Robin recognized it as the maniacal voice of his captor, Dr. Tyr. Robin also recognized his was no longer in his holding cell; he was now in a large room, a bizarre cross between a zoo, a lab, and a computer lab. He scanned the room for his friends with no avail, but then saw that each member of his team was on their own monitor.  
"I trust you all enjoyed yourselves?" Dr. Tyr asked, walking into view.  
Robin was filled with anger as the doctor approached. He tried to lash out, but found himself bound to his spot. He strained against his restraints, but his muscles screamed at the effort. He slumped down, unable to vent his rage or pain.  
"Now Robin, don't judge my hospitality so harshly. What do you think this is, a Holiday Inn?" Dr. Tyr asked, laughing hysterically at his jest.  
"Laugh while you can, Tyr!" Robin spat.  
"That's right, Robin. Threaten me, scorn me!" Dr. Tyr said, becoming deathly serious. "Hate me, despise me, curse me! Wish my doom, pray for my death, hope for my suffering!" Tyr continued. "It's all we can do! It's all we know! Hate, suffering, fear, pain and death- five words for our wretched existence!"  
Dr. Tyr grabbed his head, letting out an unholy scream. He stumbled towards a lab table, smashing beakers aside, grasping a syringe full of silvery fluid. He sighed contentedly as he thrust the needle deep into his arm, injecting the liquid into his bloodstream. As soon as he did, his behavior transformed from erratic to austere.  
"Forgive me, Robin. I seem to have lost my head," He said, his voice devoid of emotion.  
"What is it you want with us?" Robin demanded.  
"What I want with you? Tut tut, boy. No banter? No repartee, insults or witty comebacks? I'm starting to worry about your generation," Dr. Tyr said. "But I suppose I do owe a few explanations, don't I? But I'm not stupid. I can see the wheels turning in your head already!" Dr. Tyr said. "At any rate, the reason you're here isn't because I want you or your friends."  
"Then let us go!" Robin yelled.  
Tyr's silver eye flashed. Suddenly, Robin's leg erupted in pain. "Will you let me finish?" He asked.  
"Ok! Just stop it!" Robin yelled through clenched teeth. The pain in his leg subsided, though it was still sore.  
"Anyway, you and your friends are my 'meal ticket' per say. And that's all I have to say for now," Dr. Tyr said, walking out of the room. "I'm opening the communication channels, so feel free to talk to your friends. I'm sure they all want to talk about there day!" Dr. Tyr asked, leaving the lab.  
When he had gone, Robin croaked, "Are you all ok?"  
"Robin! It is good to hear your voice again!" Starfire said, her voice a harmony of joy and sorrow.  
"I'm ok. Though we gotta stop by Comp USA when we leave," Cyborg commented.  
"Raven and Beast Boy?" Robin asked.  
"I don't know if I can go back in the box..." Raven said quietly. Her normally passive voice had a tinge of fear in it, and her eyes twitched constantly. Robin could tell her emotional repression was not made for this.  
"Just stay strong. Remember your training, Raven. We'll be out of here lickety-split," Robin said, consoling his friend.  
"How're you holding up, BB?" Cyborg asked. He was answered by silence.  
"Beast Boy? Can you hear us?" Robin asked. He looked at the monitor. Beast Boy wasn't moving, his face raked with scars. Either he was unconscious, or worse...  
"Beast Boy!? BEAST BOY!" The titans yelled.  
"I'm sorry, the requested number is not in service. Please try again later!" Dr. Tyr's voice cackled. Robin grimaced as Tyr came on screen.  
"He's alive, Robin, if that's what you planned on asking," Tyr said, anticipating Robin's response. Robin saw that he wore a surgeon's uniform, and that Beast Boy had been strapped to an operating table. Robin put two and two together, cursing the evil doctor with every fiber in his being.  
He refused to let the anger control him, however. He pushed his rage- filled words away, saying, "If you touch one hair on his head, Tyr, I swear on my life that you'll be begging for death."  
"Amazing isn't it, Robin, that I am privileged with a base like this! State of the art technology, an atmosphere to myself, and my own Starbucks machine! The only problem is, I never seem to have anything to experiment on. Animals never last long here. At least, not until I've improved them. But your friend offers a unique case, so I thought I'd just have poke around. You can watch if you want," Dr. Tyr said, ignoring Robin's threat.  
Robin did not respond, but turned his head.  
"Oh well, suit yourself," Tyr replied. "But if you change your mind, I'm on channel 12." With that he went to work, canceling the video feed.  
Robin's mind exploded in anger. Tyr caused the brunt of it, but Robin was also frustrated with himself for his inability to help his team. What kind of leader was he?  
Robin pushed the thought from his head. Beating himself up wouldn't save his team. Right now, though, the most he could do was hope for Beast Boy's safety. As he heard Dr. Tyr's cackle from far off, he could tell Beast Boy was going to need it... 


	8. Chapter 7: Batholry

Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.  
  
LOCATION: London, England  
  
She made her way down the hall, being careful not to disturb anything. Everything was dark and cold- rotting chairs were covered in mildew, fractured plates lay discarded on the floor and the walls were peeling. It was an unsightly place, but it was her home.  
The girl seemed to float down the hall. Her pale skin seemed luminous against the inky dark, as did her white gown. Her name was Batholry. At least, that's what she thought her name was.  
  
You tend to forget the important things when you've been dead for about 400 years.  
  
The house- her house- was nearly as old, in a neglected section of London's outskirts. She had lived there happily enough. That is, until witch hysteria had spread like wildfire through Europe. Paranoid farmers turned on her family, blaming them for all the faults of their own. Batholry and her family were ostracized by the lot of them.  
Soon after, Batholry and her family were brutally murdered in their beds. The farmers set fire to their house, but by some strange twist of fate, it refused to burn. The attackers saw this as a final legacy to the family's witchcraft.  
For some unknown reason, Batholry did not pass on that night. She now existed only as a spirit, a human will with no physical form, forever seeking to avenge her own death.  
She stopped her movements for a moment, cocking an ear. Several rooms over, she could hear voices. Human voices.  
She smiled with glee, phasing through walls in search of her prey. Humans often trespassed here, in hopes to find evidence of a haunting. Most of the time they were college students (extremely inebriated college student), but on a few occasions 'professionals' came in for an investigation. They were the most fun to toy with- Batholry enjoyed fooling with their instruments, especially the ones called 'computers'- the owners through fits when she broke them.  
Batholry found herself just outside the room in question. Focusing her thoughts, she turned herself invisible. Just a precaution, to see exactly what she was dealing with. She saw two men, dressed in olive garb, surrounded by strange instruments and beeping objects.  
Batholry smiled. She was going to have fun tonight.  
"Damned drafty house. The sooner we leave, the better," one man said.  
"Can't go 'til we completed the objective. Rayfe'll have our asses if we leave early," The second one replied.  
Batholry was confused by the conversation. The strangers didn't talk like the others who had visited. As she moved closer, the machines sprang to life.  
"What the heck was that?" the first man asked, looking intently at a screen.  
"I dunno. Readouts match our objective, but it could just be a power surge. Scan the area," The second replied.  
Batholry slowly backed away. As she did, the monitoring devices quieted down.  
"There they go again. What the hell do these things want from me!?" The first man swore, slapping the box in front of him.  
"Is that scan finished yet?" his partner asked.  
"Just about. It's probably another stupid thunderstorm in Scotland," The first man said. He ripped a printout from his scanner. "Or maybe it isn't," He said, looking the sheet over. He handed it to his partner.  
"Localized electrical disturbance? Must be the target," The second man replied.  
Batholry grimaced. These two had tools that actually worked! That meant they were dangerous... She started to phase through the wall, hoping that they would go away when the beeping stopped.  
"Got a lock on her. She's running," The first man said, standing up. He unstrapped a small black object from his leg, while his partner holstered a large containment unit on his back.  
They slowly walked around the perimeter of the room, the first man inspecting every nook and cranny with the black instrument in his hand. Batholry watched as they did, fascinated by the procedure.  
She soon realized the men had backed her into a corner. As they approached, she hovered towards the ceiling, hoping to escape their notice.  
The man with the instrument finally arrived at her corner. He pointed the object directly at her, flicking a switch. Batholry quickly darted across the room, becoming visible as she phased through the wall.  
Her sight, hear hearing, her thoughts all a blur as she ran. The strangers moved quickly and quietly, shrouding themselves from her. Up halls and down stairs, through walls and above ceilings, Batholry's frantic flight was hasty and erratic.  
She came to a halt, examining the surrounding area. After a few minutes of silence, she came to a startling realization: she had absolutely no idea where the attackers were. She slowly made her way down the hall.  
Suddenly, one of the men jumped around a corner. She immediately retreated in the other direction, only to find herself facing the other man. Before she could go through the ceiling, the man flicked a switch on the object he held. Batholry closed her eyes, but nothing could prepare her for what came next.  
She screamed in pain. Pain- something she had not felt in over 400 years. White lances of electricity jumped all over her, sending white-hot signals to her brain. She blearily tried to move, only to find herself unable to do anything except cry. The stranger thrust the instrument closer, intensifying her pain. With one final scream, she fell blacked out.  
The two men slowly edged towards her floating body. "That was weird. For a minute she seemed almost human," The first said.  
"Yea, but she's not. At least, not anymore," The second replied, unstrapping the containment unit. After pressing a few buttons, he scooped Batholry up with it. After a few more button presses, the lid slammed down and locked with an electro-magnetic seal.  
"That'll do. Let's get back to base," The second man said. They gathered their equipment and walked out the door of the ancient house. 


	9. Chapter 8: The Final Prospect

Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.  
  
With apologize to SpyroGurl for the belatedness. I understand if you refuse me a cookie. ^^;;  
  
LOCATION: Ducksbury, Massacusettes  
  
Commander Rayfe grimaced as the helicopter touched down. All this globetrotting was one of the downsides of his job. Luckily, this was their last stop. The London parcel was secure, as was Hotei. Now they needed one last prospect. Luckily for him, all they had to do was wait.  
  
Meanwhile, this particular prospect was in the middle of committing grand larceny.  
He sat at a computer terminal in the local library, hoping to be as inconspicuous as possible. He typed feverishly as he got his commands through an ear piece.  
"Hurry up, Conary! We can't wait all day!" The voice barked angrily.  
"Yea, yea. It's easy for you to say when you're holding a gun, sir," Conary replied, mopping his brow. The minute his step-dad brought him home, he taught him all the tricks of the trade. Their relationship wasn't necessarily built on love and trust, but hey, if he pulled this job off right he could buy father of the year. But with a job like this, there were a lot of ifs involved.  
"Shut up, runt! How's the police chatter?" Step-dad asked. Conary reflexively rolled his eyes, replying, "They haven't picked you up yet, sir. I already told you that." Step-dad shut up for a bit, alleviating the migraine pounding in his skull. He scanned the library main floor, checking to see if he picked up any spectators. Luckily, he remained unnoticed. He shifted his gaze to the screen in front of him. He watched every dollar, every cent being pulled from random accounts in the Bank's database. Those funds were then sent to several random bank accounts scattered across the globe. That money would jump around for a while, and then would finally settle into a single account about a month later. It was the only thing Conary respected his step-dad for, this brilliant piece of software he had recently installed in the local library's computer.  
  
Finally, the flow began to slow, trickling to a stop.  
  
"Job's done, sir," Conary said into the mike.  
  
"All of it's out?" Step-dad asked.  
  
"Yup. It's on world tour," Conary replied.  
  
"Good job. We'll clean up hear. We'll reconvene in ten minutes," Step-dad said.  
  
"Sorry, but that's not a good time for me, sir," Conary said. He quickly typed a series of code into the computer. "I don't think it's going to be a good time for you either."  
  
"Kid, what the HELL are you talking about!?" Step-dad growled, his voice becoming dangerously low.  
  
"What I mean, SIR, is that I've just put an APB on your ass. You should be able to hear the sirens about now," Conary replied. He smiled when he heard Step-dad swear furiously, the wailing din of sirens becoming louder in the background.  
  
"I'll kill you, punk, I swear to God!" Step-dad seethed.  
  
"Yea, well, so long, thanks for all the fish," Conary said, turning off his headset. 'The Douglas Adams quote was a nice touch,' he thought to himself smugly.  
  
He examined the situation. On the one hand, he had just turned in his legal guardian. On the other, he now was the sole owner of around 15 million dollars. That was always a good thing.  
  
Conary was about to close everything, but the wrinkly old hand of the librarian grabbed his fist tightly. "Were you using that in here?" She demanded faintly, pointing to Conary's headset.  
  
Conary froze, thinking he was caught. He quickly swallowed his hear and croaked, "Um, no ma'am."  
  
"Nice try, sonny. I saw you use it! We have a very strict policy here about cell phone use in the library! I'm going to have to ask you to leave," she said wearily.  
  
"Uh, can I just finish up this important stuff I have to do?" Conary asked, trying to sit back down.  
  
"I'm afraid not, young man," The old lady said, escorting him to the vestibule.  
  
Conary desperately searched for something to save him. Finally, he came to the quickest computer. As they passed the large outlets for the computers, he shoved his foot in the tangle of wires, unplugging every computer in the area.  
  
"Whoops. I'm terribly sorry, very clumsy of me," He mumbled, quickly walking out of the library. Master thief Conary Nealson, foiled by a little old lady? He thought not! Of course, he would regret he ever left that library. He walked smack dab into a towering, hawk-faced man. Conary noticed the olive green of a military uniform. Not a good sign.  
He tried to walk away, but the military man held him firmly in place. "Uh, I gotta go, sir. You know, to fill my body with toxins and squander my youth..." Conary said sheepishly.  
"I don't think so," The military man responded. He guided Conary towards a large black van parked on the street. Conary then saw several more olive-garbed men enter the library, then exit with a computer. Definitely not a good sign.  
  
"Now, Conary Nealson. Let's talk," The hawk faced officer said, producing a manila folder. "As I'm sure you know, the local bank was just robbed. And we have proof that you did it."  
"Proof? Bullshit. I'm just a kid. How could I rob a bank?" Conary asked. Standard tactic: when caught, deny everything.  
Hawk face nodded at the other men, who ripped the casing off the computer, producing the hard drive. "This should tell us what we need to know. After that, we just get the security footage of you using the computer when the program was run," The officer explained.  
"So what? You plan on taking me to juvy?" Conary asked. He could not suppress the hint of fear in his voice.  
"We certainly could, Mr. Nealson, but I'm sure we could arrange for you to share a cell with your step-father. How about that?" The officer suggested.  
What little color remained in Conary's face drained. His jig was up. Whatever that meant.  
"No? Well, how about this- you work for us, and we destroy the hard drive right here. No questions asked," the officer offered.  
Conary jumped at the offer inside. He tried to remain reserved, however, asking, "And what happens to the 15 million dollars?" He already knew the answer.  
"It goes back to the owners. But we may provide a small compensation for your services, providing they are adequate," The officer retorted.  
"What do you want me to do? And why me?" Conary asked.  
The military man opened the manila folder. "Your most recent guardian, a Mr. Kyle Resher, has been monitored for sometime. His skills as a hacker are undeniable. Unfortunately, he will also be spending lots of time in his little locked room. Luckily, he passed some of his knowledge on to you. That's where you come in," The military man explained.  
Conary thought about it. That's not to say it took a great deal of thought. "I'll do it," he said.  
"Good. I'm Commander Rayfe, your C.O. for this mission. Welcome aboard," Rayfe said, snapping a salute. Conary clumsily returned it. The other soldier dropped the hard drive to the floor, stomping it into oblivion.  
Rayfe slid back in his chair. He held all the cards. All he had to do now was to play them... 


	10. Chapter 9: Soldier in a Darkening Wood

NOTICE- Though it pains me to say, this update may have to hold you for a while. I'm on my spring break, which means I just got back from one college visit and I'm about to leave on another one. Any complaints can be sent to FrycookNinja@AOL.com under the subject "Update Complaint." (Please don't complain!)  
  
MORE IMPORTANT NOTICE- Frankly, Conary needs a codename. Since I'm lazy, I thought I'd make a CONTEST out of it. The deadline is April 27, 2004. I would appreciate it if all ideas would be emailed (use above mailing address) rather than reviewed. I would also appreciate a small blurb explaining why you feel the codename should be THE codename. Please title e- mail subject as "Codename Contest".  
  
Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.  
  
LOCATION: Pacific Northwest, USA (P.I.A. Headquarters)  
  
Adila sprinted as soon as she reached the ground. Strong legs propelled her hurriedly through the darkened wood. The sun was starting to set, casting odd patterns of light on the forest floor. Primeval trees seemed to groan as wind rustled their towering boughs, and birds chirped erratically, giving the forest an eerie hymn.  
Suddenly, Adila leaped from the ground to a low hanging branch, using her momentum to swing to another. Higher and higher she climbed, arm after arm, into the lofty crowns of the forest. She resumed her sprint, leaping to boughs that were too far for one stride.  
"Almost time," she muttered to herself. Reaching down, she somehow found the strength to move faster. In the distance, she could see her walkway of branches coming to a halt. She smiled, embracing a new obstacle.  
  
At the gulf, rather than climb down, Adila pressed down on the final limb with all the force she could muster. The branch, not to be outdone, pushed her back, catapulting her through the air.  
Adila scanned the ground below her. Where forest had once been had now been turned into a large complex. The ground came up faster than she would of liked, promising lots of pain at the very least. At the last moment she snagged a low-strung tension cable, swung around it, and then hit the ground in a tuck-and-roll.  
She quickly dashed for the closest shadow- she didn't come this far to get spotted by some Joe-Schmoe guard. Once in the dark, she felt at home. Her dark skin and black outfit made it nigh impossible to see her unless someone was trying to. She slinked along the courtyard, like a panther in a steamy jungle, looking for an opening into the building. ] She soon spotted it; an open window not even ten feet aboveground, carelessly left unguarded. She quickly made her way under the sill, unsnapping a compartment on her belt. She pulled out a small stainless steel canister and yanked one end out.  
  
The device was a strobe camera- a special gift from the tech department. She flicked the power switch then tossed it up towards the window, catching it as it fell. The other end popped, spitting a roll of paper into Adila's waiting hand.  
  
The roll of paper's minute black-and-white pictures revealed the room was empty. Adila quickly pocketed the camera, leaping into the air. Grabbing the window sill, she pushed her lithe form through the opening.  
  
No places to hide in there- she quickly sprinted through the halls, finally entering one of the white rooms. Quickly, she dashed up to the keyboard, closed her eyes, and pressed a large red button.  
  
"Very good, Private," said Commander Rayfe, emerging from a hidden door. You beat the record- your record- once again. I may have to make some more dramatic changes to the course, now that you have a team to help you."  
  
Adila cringed. She never questioned her commander's orders, but the idea of a team still was a resented one. She had only met one of her partners so far, but he spent the whole time gazing around the helicopter than listen to Commander Rayfe's briefing. When the time came to begin the retrieval, what use could he be?  
  
"...Understood, sir," Adila said firmly. Regardless of her thoughts, the business was done. She hoped the commander didn't hear the disdain in her voice.  
  
"Very well. Shower up, Private, and get your dress uniform on. It's time you met your team properly," Rayfe said, walking off. Adila snapped a salute as he left. She quickly walked out of the room, towards her quarters. As she stepped into the plain room, she wondered how she how the other recruits would fare on the trials ahead. 


	11. Chapter 10: Paths Converge

Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.  
  
(single quotes signify thoughts)  
  
LOCATION: Pacific Northwest, USA (P.I.A. Headquarters)  
  
Conary stepped out of the helicopter with a wince, rubbing his sore posterior. From what he could tell, that chopper could trace any moving object in a mile radius and deliver a missile to every doorstep in Queens, but where was the fun in wanton destruction when your seat kept curving your spine?  
"Having problems, Mr. Nealson?" Rayfe asked, cocking an eyebrow at Conary's apparent agony.  
"No, sir, I'm just looking for my tailbone. Rather, the remnants of my tailbone," Conary replied, standing up straight. He let off a soft 'oh' as his back cracked audibly.  
"Hah! Better get used to that feeling, kid. In two weeks, you're gonna be begging to feel the way you feel now," The pilot laughed as he finished his post-flight check. Conary paled upon hearing the implication of physical activity.  
"Wait, chief. What work? 'You going to put me through a typing course or something?" Conary asked. From his few experiences with it, he knew physical activity well enough to put it on his 'no' list.  
"Boot camp, Mr. Nealson. When you agreed to work with us, it came as a complimentary bonus. You can thank us later," Rayfe replied, walking inside. Conary hurried to follow him.  
Rayfe walked down the halls quickly, his boots clacking loudly against the white floor. The narrow corridors forked constantly, showing no signs of dead ends. Officers and personnel seemed to be walking through walls, but on closer inspection, Conary realized that they walked out soundless sliding doors, ones that were nigh impossible to make out except for the door control panel at the right of each one.  
Realizing he was falling behind, Conary sped up to find Commander Rayfe. He ventured up and down several halls to no avail, only to find Commander Rayfe standing right behind him.  
"I see you've found the room already," He said, barely louder than a whisper. All the same, Conary jumped at the sound of his voice. He glanced at the door panel. It read "Room 124- Debriefing."  
"Well, aprez-vous, sir," Conary said, in a fake accent. Rayfe punched in the door code, shoving Conary inside. The door closed silently behind him.  
He found himself in a white room filled with plastic furniture. In one corner of the room was a large glass cylinder, with strange devices sealing the ends. They pulsed constantly, sending waves of electricity through the chamber. Upon closer inspection, Conary was shocked to find translucent girl inside, apparently unconscious.  
The only other occupant in the room was a strange figure huddled in the corner. The bright orange robes he wore were made resplendent by the whiteness of the room. The figure sat with his knees drawn to his chest, hiding his face in his arms. Resting against his body was a 6-foot red pole, topped with a short yet wicked-looking blade.  
Suddenly, the orange-garbed monk looked up, studying Conary intently. Conary got a quick look at the boy's face. He looked the same age as himself, with dark hair and tan skin. His face seemed impassive, as if he was in a constant state of deep thought. The boy then closed his eyes, apparently focusing on a thought.  
"Uh, hey," Conary said weekly. Bad impressions were not the way to go when you meet someone with a naginata.  
The monk did not reply directly, but Conary noticed his mouth moving slightly. The boy was whispering feverishly in Chinese.  
"Hey, uh, I don't speak Chinese," Conary said.  
The monk didn't reply.  
"You hear that? NO...SPEAK-EE...THE CHINESE! DO...YOU...UNDERSTAND!?" Conary asked loudly, with deliberate slowness.  
I'm sorry, I do not understand what you're saying,' a quiet voice said in Conary's head. He whirled around, expecting to see someone talking from behind him. It suddenly dawned on him: the Chinese was speaking to him through his thoughts.  
'Um... Damn shame, I guess. I understand you. I'm not sure how, but I do,' Conary thought back.  
'Our minds are united for the moment. That's why you can hear me. My name is Hotei,' Hotei's voice said.  
'Uh, ok. I' m Conary,' thought Conary. He could feel a numb pain originating from his forehead- telepathy was a painful ordeal.  
'May I ask you a favor, Conary? It would be much easier for us to communicate if you let me use you knowledge of your language' Hotei asked politely.  
'Will it, like, hurt? 'Cause I've seen EVA and all that mind-rape stuff, and the hell I am gonna submit just so I can wind up in a hospital bed with some kid doin' something NASTY over me*-'  
'I don't know if it will be painful. But it must be done if we are to get anywhere,' Hotei replied. Before Conary could respond, Hotei pressed his palms tightly against Conary's temples.  
What came next was a feeling Conary couldn't quite place. He assumed it felt akin to someone driving a nail into a piece of wood, prying it out, and then hammering it back in again, over and over. When it was over, Conary sank to his knees.  
"Are you ok?" Hotei asked in plain English. Whatever he did to Conary's brain had worked; he didn't even have an accent.  
"I don't know. I feel like someone took my brain, used it as a urinal cake and gave it back," Conary replied in plain English.  
"Thought transfer! Your abilities are impressive, young monk," Rayfe said, entering the room. Behind him followed a dark-skinned girl, dressed in a crisp dress uniform. Pulling a remote from his pocket, Rayfe pointed it at the glass cylinder and pressed the button. The wispy girl inside quickly opened her eyes, frantically examining her prison.  
"Now that I have your attention," Rayfe said, "Let's begin."  
  
*Situation courtesy of Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion 


	12. Chapter 11: Kiyo and Genocide

Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.  
  
Author's Note- I apologize for the recent sub-par chapters (sub-par? Noooo!), but I'm in a bit of a hectic time right now. As soon as summer hits, I'll get to workin' harder on the story. In regards to mi/ri- Here's your chapter featuring Teen titans. There!! Happy!? It must feel SO good to badger the author!  
  
Kidding.  
  
LOCATION: Unknown (Earth's upper atmosphere)  
  
Dr. Tyr washed his hands fervently, barely containing his excitement for the upcoming operation. If all turned out as he thought it would, he would quickly become the most powerful man on Earth.  
"Well, I already am the most powerful man on Earth, so, what's the point?" Dr, Tyr thought aloud, staring at Beast Boy's comatose form. He sighed, picking up a pair of gloves. When you're as high up as he, you don't really have anywhere to go. Perfection has its limitations, after all.  
He picked up a scalpel, preparing to make the first incision. Slowly he brought the blade's tip to Beast Boy's emerald skin, and with a calm precision, he forced on the blade.  
"Dr. Tyr!" shouted a filtered voice from behind. The scalpel went flying from Tyr's hand in surprise. The shocked doctor whirled around, staring menacingly at the new arrivals.  
Three of his security personnel stood before him, two in black. The third was head and shoulders over his comrades, clad in scarlet armor. His face mask was smooth and featureless, giving the wearer an inhuman quality.  
  
"You idiots! I gave strict orders to be left in privacy! You blundering fools could've ruined the procedure!" Tyr yelled.  
"I'm sorry sir, but one of the captives escaped. I thought you should know," The red officer said.  
Tyr's face boiled in anger as his silver eye flashed dangerously. The red officer's companions fell to the ground, screaming in agony. The Red officer paid no heed to the men.  
Dr. Tyr quickly grabbed a syringe from his belt, shakily jabbing it into his elbow. As the serum coursed into his arm, his face cleared. He looked into the red officer's face, saying, "You have done well to warn me, Genocide. We must investigate this immediately. Has Kiyo been told?"  
"No, sir. I thought telling you would be more prudent," Genocide responded. He quickly pressed two fingers into his own temple. "They got him cornered. He's up near the bridge," He said, relaying the chatter to Tyr.  
"Very well. Have Kiyo go to that area immediately. I want this matter dealt with now," Tyr ordered. He turned around, preparing himself for surgery once more.  
"Sir! I am perfectly capable of dealing with the captive on my own!" Genocide said, with a hint of desperation in his voice.  
"Never the less, you will summon Kiyo," Dr. Tyr said. "Do not question my orders, Genocide, or you may end up like your two friends here," He added gravely, kicking one of the collapsed guards lightly. He turned his back to the red officer, closing the door behind him.  
Dr. Tyr punched a few digits one the door's access pad, locking the door and ensuring his privacy. He turned to Beast Boy, picked up his scalpel and continued where he left off. With a euphoric hum, the operation began. Tyr's joy was not without cause; this boy would be his greatest creation to date.  
  
Robin tore frantically through the base. No time to stop, no time to fight, no time to think; he could only run. His muscles screamed with every step, his brain pounded inside his skull, ticking away like a bomb about to detonate. He wanted to stop, to rest, but he dared not. Injured and trapped like he was, he was still hunted mercilessly. He needed to find his friends and get out of there. A small, sardonic grin crossed his lips. Despite the odds, he still had one advantage.  
A wounded animal is far more dangerous than a normal one.  
The hallway ended abruptly, leaving Robin with a door as his only option. He slowed his sprint to a cautious walk, pressing his ear against the cold steel of the door. He heard nothing. Either the room was empty, or it was soundproof. Robin hoped for option A, but expected option B.  
He quickly opened the door and leapt straight up, retreating into the shadows above the door. Fives seconds, ten seconds, nobody came. He tentatively lowered his head, catching a glimpse of the interior. It was barren.  
  
He dropped to the ground, slinking inside. The room was some sort of amphitheatre- the terraced floor sprawled out beneath his feet; massive pillars supported the gradually rising roof. There was no exit in sight.  
  
"The good doctor seeks you, prisoner. Your flight ends hear," an accented voice said. Robin reflexively leapt from his spot, narrowly avoiding a ground-shaking kick. He rolled into a defensive stance, preparing to face his attacker.  
  
She was not one of the hulking, black-suited guards he had seen earlier. She was just under Robin's height, with two jet black braids that ran to the floor. Each was capped with its own ornate ring. The Asian girl wore a black body suit, over which she wore a bright scarlet robe.  
  
"Very well. Challenge me, and I'll let you go. But I warn you- I could use a good fight!" The girl shouted jumping at her foe. Robin barely managed to parry several blows until the girl landed a blow in his abdomen. The sheer force sent him flying into a pillar, sending lances of pain through his back. The girl came at him immediately, holding nothing back.  
  
Robin ripped a metal panel from the floor, shielding himself from the onslaught. "Very well, little red bird. You were starting to bore me anyways," The girl said. She reached behind her back, producing an apple- sized blob of silver material in her palm. The blob elongated itself instantly, becoming a six foot pole of metal.  
  
Robin's shield was shattered by the first blow. He jumped to evade the second, but it landed on his calf. The blow hammered him into the floor, and Robin knew his leg was broken. In a last, futile effort he took the shards of the metal, throwing them at the girl.  
  
One shard missed entirely. The other struck her cheek, cutting her deep. She grimaced, touching the blood on her face. She soon smiled, and Robin watched in horror as the cut repaired itself instantly.  
  
"You know my secret..." She said, smiling. She moved in close, and Robin's vision grew hazy. The darkness enveloped him, and he welcomed it. 


	13. Chapter 12: Friend and Foe, Darkness and...

Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.  
  
LOCATION: Pacific Northwest, USA (P.I.A. Headquarters)  
  
In the land of cold and death,  
friend meets foe and foe meets friend,  
reborn by rival's dying breath,  
prophecy will meet an end.  
  
Those who walk the path of light,  
Darkness spreads, calling to all.  
'Tis vain to combat evil's blight  
For one of light is bound to fall.  
  
Sense flooded Batholry's mind as she became aware of her surroundings. Bleary thoughts an incomplete mutterings came to mind and mouth as she tried to comprehend what was going on. She remembered strangers in a house, her house, who had captured her. The rest was all blurred dreams.  
Thinking on this, she found two seemingly impossible facts in this. The first impossibility was that she had been captured. In mortal terms she was a rumor, a phantasm conjured by a person's fears, nothing that was taken seriously by many. And the oddballs who had taken it seriously never got so much as a glimpse of her. How could they have captured her?  
She looked around her cell once more. Science. That was what did her in. Humans, in all their insolence sought powers they had no right to wield and used science to make it happen.  
She shook her head, trying to focus her thoughts. She suddenly remembered the second impossibility. She had dreamt. Batholry had not dreamt in centuries. At least, not in the true sense. Something was wrong with her. Looking around, she saw a strange people, living, breathing, it was dizzying. Batholry's head spun as she felt lacerations of pain, of feeling, echo through her luminous frame.  
"Calm down, girl. You're liable to hurt yourself, as if that were possible," a man said, walking over. Batholry's twisted to face her captor. He was dressed in green of the fields, yet in such a white room he seemed to wear shadows. Bland features covered his face, topped off with a military cap which covered wiry brown hair and shrouded some of his face. Batholry knew instantly that he was a man to be respected and feared.  
"What have you done to me, mortal!? You dare test a being from the other side?!" She shouted. She tried to phase through the tank, but an electrical disturbance repelled her attempts.  
"Such spark, such passion from a talking electrical disturbance. It's almost as if you were still human," The man replied without emotion. Batholry seethed with rage as he made a terrible smirk.  
"As if I need to be human! I've become more than you can possibly imagine!" Batholry shouted back. As her anger rose, the room seemed to turn dark, and flashes of miniature lighting rippled through the air. Conary could feel the hair on his neck stiffen.  
"Which is why you are here. It is why you are all here," Rayfe said, turning to the rest of the group. "Your gifts are needed."  
"Pompous meat bag! What makes you think I would do anything for you!?" Batholry shouted. As each word left her lips the room grew a little darker, the lightning flashed a little brighter, and the air became inexplicably cold.  
"You will help me, little girl, because," Rayfe said, "Because I know how to let you cross over." Rayfe had just played his trump card. He furrowed his brow as he let the words sink in, knowing the gamble he just made. Rayfe was not a man who liked gambles.  
Batholry thought incessantly on the offer. It... was it possible? Could he really hold the key to her cross over? Impossible, she thought. He didn't even know her. Yet, he knew how to catch her... Batholry shook the thought from her mind. She didn't trust this man, but could she pass up a chance like this?  
Rayfe smiled as the light returned to the room. "Very well, human. I will aide you," Batholry said quietly. Rayfe pressed a button on his wrist, and the cylinder disappeared. Batholry knew saw her path of escape, but knew she could not leave. Her word was bond.  
"Good. Now, we begin," Rayfe said, strolling to the front of the room. "As of three days ago, there was a belligerent disturbance at Titan Tower. The Titans were no where on scene surveillance footage and evidence lead us to believe they were kidnapped by this man," Rayfe explained, gesturing to the wall. A large picture of an eerie-looking man appeared on screen.  
"Dr. Frankenstein. I'm familiar with his work," Conary commented blandly. He looked around, expecting a grin from anyone. "Tough crowd," he mumbled, slumping in his chair. Adila gave him a cold stare, then returned her attention to Rayfe.  
"His name is Tyr. He developed much of the nano-technology used in the military, but defected over five years ago. We've been tracking him ever since," Rayfe said, ignoring Conary's comment. "We have reason to believe he has sold our technology and is conducting illegal experiments on humans. We are not sure what he plans to do with the Titans. Without a ransom note, the only plausible assumption is he desires them for... scientific reasons."  
"What's that have to do with us?" Conary asked.  
"Your task is to retrieve the Titans," Rayfe replied.  
Hotei's head perked up from the corner. "I do not understand. How will we rescue them if we do not know where he is?" he asked tentatively.  
Rayfe pressed a button on his wrist, and the picture on the wall vanished. It was replaced by a large, blue layout. The schematics resembled something like a space station; it was large and shard-shaped, and extremely huge.  
"This is Tyr's mobile base, The Sword of Damocles. It is currently located somewhere over middle Asia. Its defense grid and stealth capability keep it invisible from most light spectrums, but it is armed and dangerous," Rayfe explained.  
"Real inviting. I don't suppose you'd change your mind about this," Conary asked.  
"Better buck up, kid," Rayfe replied, smiling. "You'll be there within the week." 


	14. Chapter 13: Midnight Leave

Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.  
  
Sorry for the hiatus. Just finished my finals, and am in the process of salvaging my brain. Here's a longer one for you. I also apologize to any offended nerds.  
  
Note to PixieGirl13: The cross over is a powerful transition that would change Batholry for ever, but I can't tell you the specifics. Sorry, but all things in good time. Thanks for the review.  
  
LOCATION: Pacific Northwest, USA (P.I.A. Headquaters)  
  
Explosions rocked the terrain, as quakes seemed to rip through the soil like waves in an ocean. Dust and rocks were flung into the air, blacking out the skies momentarily. Adila bit her lip, not moving a muscle.  
  
"Nice job, warning me about the minefield. I mean, I could have lost my head!" she said into her comm link.  
"Get off it! This tracking software's being a bitch, and besides, who knew he'd plant live ammunition!" Conary yelled from some thirty feet away. He quickly pulled out small, thin laptop, and began to type furiously on it.  
"Hurry up! They're already at the wall!" Adila yelled at her partner. To her, teamwork was something that took a lot of getting used too. She craned her neck to see past the large dividing fence to check on the progress of the competition.  
Hotei found himself standing before a large, barren wall. He waited calmly, slowing his breathing as he entered a state of inner calm. Suddenly, the ghostly form of Batholry phased through the faceless barricade. "We're almost there. You need to find some way over the wall. Are there any footholds?" She asked, frantically scanning the wall.  
Hotei took in the sight of the wall in its entirety. Then, closing his eyes and slowing his breathing, he looked at the wall once more. Tendrils of thought brushed the surface of the wall, finding no structural weakness. They moved on and managed to find a small ledge, no wider than an inch. Soon, they found another and another...  
He opened his eyes. Before he saw the same wall, yet he allowed himself a small smile. Though towering and barren it seemed he knew its secrets. He leapt into the air, seemingly towards nothing, and felt his bare feet press against the ledge. Hotei kept at it, jumping from ledge to ledge, finally reaching the top. He landed with feline grace on the other side.  
By now, Adila and Conary had reached a similar wall. Cupping her hands, Adila catapulted Conary into the air. Conary hit the wall with a grunt, scrambled over the top, then fell to the earth with a yelp of pain, massaging his (now tender) posterior. "Tylenol's gonna be working overtime tonight..." He mumbled, staggering towards the final obstacle.  
Adila's sharp eyes noted the minute shadows on the wall's face, betraying minuscule hand and foot holds. She quickly pulled herself to the top with her powerful arms, depositing herself on the other side. She grabbed Conary roughly by the collar, sprinting towards the goal.  
All the while, two digital clocks counted towards oblivion. They were mounted on towering metal flagpoles, taunting all four competitors. Adila stared up at them, knowing she must find some way to climb the slim pole. She was pleased to note that the problem seemed to have stumped her opponents.  
"Can you deactivate the device?" Hotei asked Batholry, starring at the top of the tower. He meandered around the pole in a rough circle, scanning the task.  
Batholry shook her head. "I already tried disrupting it. That is usually enough for these machines..." She said.  
Meanwhile, Adila was climbing the pole, arm over arm. She was running on pure adrenaline now. Conary took the free time to play a quick game of solitaire.  
Hotei flicked the pole with his finger, listening intently to the hollow ring it produced. As Adila reached the top, Hotei unstrapped his naginata. With graceful precision, he cut an elegant arc in through the air, cutting through the pole with little difficulty. The pole fell with a resounding bang, crushing the clock under its metal bulk. At that same moment Adila pounded her clock, bringing it to a stop.  
Rayfe strode onto the field, flanked by several clipboard-carrying officers. He came to a stop at the wreckage of the fallen pole, kicking the clock remains with slight distaste.  
"Intelligence reports that both clocks were stopped simultaneously. Both times also beat the current course record," he said, emotionless. "But this was, by no means, a success. Adila, while your display was above your average, you moved independently. The goal was to accomplish the goal as a team, not try to compensate for Conary's weaknesses. Of which he has many," Rayfe said, gazing at a wheezing Conary.  
"Hotei and Batholry, while your teamwork was satisfactory, you displayed a lack of initiative. And while your clock-stopping methods were... innovative, I'd appreciate it if you kept the training equipment in one piece. We don't want a repeat of the weight room incident," Rayfe continued, gesturing towards the compound. A small construction team was hastily rebuilding the outside wall of the base's weight room.  
"Starting tomorrow, we begin mission training. Along with boot camp, you will undergo individual training for your mission specifics. Now, hit the showers. That is all for the day," Rayfe said, walking off.  
The group was quiet as they entered the compound. Hotei could sense feelings of embarrassment and unease flowing from Conary. And it didn't take a mental link to sense Adila's anger. He thought about both of them, purposely slowing his step to fall behind. Batholry noticed and pursued him.  
"Anything in particular?" She asked him. "I know what you're thinking. You mortals are sometimes more transparent than me," Batholry added, noting Hotei's confused expression.  
"I do not understand. How can they work together if they hide their thoughts from each other?" Hotei asked. Batholry could see the boy's innocence in his wide brown eyes.  
"I know not. Humanity is fickle, if anything," Batholry said, floating away.  
  
Conary sighed as the hot water poured from the showerhead. The steamy spray sent his sore pains packing as Conary fell into a relaxed stupor while an inconsistent babble assaulted his ears. Realizing Hotei was speaking to him, he snapped back to reality.  
"Conary? Why must I bath all the way over here?" Hotei asked from thirty showerheads away. The communal shower room had privacy stalls installed for each shower, but Conary took no chances.  
"Well, uh... it's just, you know, like, dudes don't bath real close. It's just a thing that all us dudes do. Ya got me?" Conary replied, yelling over the roar of the water.  
"But the soldiers shower together. I was under the impression that they were 'dudes' as well," replied Hotei.  
"Hotei?"  
"Yes, Conary?"  
"Don't ask questions," Conary said. The remainder of the time passed without conversation.  
Soon enough, the pair arrived at their sleeping quarters. Conary ungracefully clambered up onto his bunk, disappearing from Hotei's sight. He slid into his bed, turning off the light as he did.  
Minutes later, the door cracked open. "Kid? You ready?" a hoarse voice whispered.  
"We're good to go. Wakey-wakey, Hotei," Conary said, jumping to the floor and shaking his friend awake. "Don't talk," He added, cutting off Hotei. "We're sneaking off base tonight. There's supposed to be a town a couple miles from here!"  
Hotei nodded eagerly, accepting a bundle of street clothes from Conary. The pair followed the small, muscled soldier through the quiet base halls, out a service door and into the back of a van. The soldier tapped the driver on the shoulder, and the group sped of into the night.  
"Here's the skinny: You guys get to schmooze around town 'til two, then meet us at the In and Out Burger. If you ain't there, tough shit," The small soldier said, with a peculiar nasally accent.  
"That's a ten-four. What's in this town, anyways?" Conary asked, throwing on his street clothes.  
"Well, there's a few good bars, a pond, and a brothel. No, wait; it was a Chuck E. Cheese's, not a brothel. My mistake," the soldier replied.  
"WHAT?! I didn't pull all this crap just to visit Podunk, USA!" Conary replied, each word laced with indignity.  
"There's a 24-hour Wal-mart," The driver mumbled.  
"... That will suffice. Come, friend Hotei! We voyage to fabled Wal- mart by gilded coach!" Conary yelled, throwing an arm around Hotei's shoulder. Hotei was not quite sure what a Wal-mart was, but if Conary like it, it must be good...  
  
The pair stepped jumped out of the van onto rain-slicked blacktop. As they entered the fluorescent bastion of society, a sallow moon rose into the night sky. Conary made a b-line for the games and anime, while Hotei marveled at the immeasurable heaps of things called 'refrigerators' and 'lounge chairs.'  
Conary, meanwhile, tried to spark up a conversation with some fellow anime enthusiasts in the DVD section.  
"So, you see the new Eva manga releases? I had to re-buy all eight so I could own the complete set," A portly girl said, taking a long drag on a Slurpee.  
"Yea, I tried the whole 'reading anime' thing. I find it much more satisfying to download illegal copies on my laptop," Conary replied smugly, patting the satchel of his courier's bag.  
"Really? Do you have any episodes from Furi Kuri on there?" A skinny boy asked, pointing at Conary's bag. Conary's eyes narrowed.  
"Don't point, kid. 'Tis insolent of ye. And secondly, it's pronounced Fooly- Cooly, ya got me?" Conary said slowly.  
"What the hell are you on? It's Furi Kuri, baka," the portly girl replied, polishing off the Slurpee.  
"We're in America, dammit! The word is idiot, NOT baka, and it's Fooly Cooly!" Conary retorted. He had gone over this argument a thousand times in his mind. Nine hundred and ninety-eight of them ended with him soaring into the wild blue yonder on a flying nimbus, in pursuit of several orange pearl-like objects...  
"But it's Japanese! And the Japanese say it Furi Kuri!" The skinny boy yelled back. A small crowd of otakus and gamers clustered around the three, murmuring there own thoughts on the issue.  
"We're not in Japan! And you're not Japanese, dammit! Stop pretending you are!" That was Conary's trump card. The gaggle of off-beats seemed stunned, as if Conary had committed a terrible sin.  
"Ok pal. You just made things nasty!" The portly girl said, chucking her empty cup at him. The rest of the kids closed in, smiling with angry, fiendish, nerdy delight. Things looked dark for Conary, but he figured he wouldn't live to see the final Final Fantasy anyways.  
Suddenly Hotei burst through the crowd, arms filled with several boxes. "Conary!" He yelled happily, "You must tell me everything you know about these marvelous, 'Hostess' Twinkies with new banana-strawberry cream filling'!" He tore open a package, stuffing the sponge cake into his mouth.  
"Hotei, you're just on time! Feel free to open a can-a whoop ass on these minions of insanity!" Conary yelled.  
Hotei was too preoccupied scanning the shelves both he and his friends were backed up against. He plucked a random DVD off the display, asking, "Conary, what is 'Pokémon'?"  
The mob hissed with rage. This was the final injustice. The swooped in, using there combined mass to pin the pair into the wall with vice-like force. The force proved too much, however, and the display hit the ground with a resounding bang.  
Everyone froze. Panic swept through the lot of them, with murmurs of "Holy crap,", "We're screwed!" and "My mom said she'd take my modem if this happened again." With security guards approaching the scene, the crowd dispersed. Kids bobbed and weaved, some getting caught in the meaty grips of the guards, while others escaped into the salvation of the parking lot.  
Conary felt a strong hand clamp his shoulder. He looked up, expecting to see the angry face of a security officer, then looked away. The face was not angry, only bearing the look of severe focus. Conary wished it was the angry face, rather than the one he had seen. He wished it more than soaring into the wild blue yonder on a flying nimbus, in pursuit of several orange pearl-like objects.  
He wished it because the face belonged to a man named Rayfe. 


	15. Chapter 14: The Gathering Clouds

Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.  
  
LOCATION: On the move (somewhere in Earth's upper atmosphere)  
  
Storm clouds rumbled and grumbled loudly, as if discontent about the coming rain. The ground was far, far below, filled with barren canyons and jagged spires. The only life out here was a few scattered mountain goats and a lone falcon, which was picking through the evening's kill.  
In an instant, a small, jet-propelled craft rocketed through the landscape. On its' wake traveled its own thunderous din. The falcon took a brief look at the passing vessel, then returned to its meal  
Falcons aren't too concerned about such things.  
  
With some neat stitching, Dr. Tyr sewed up the last incision on Beast Boy's torso. "You have some promise, boy, but you are only the stepping stone," Tyr said politely, patting the boy on the head. He pressed a small buzzer on the table, summoning two medical officers into the room. "Monitor him. The minute he wakes up, sedate him and inject some Restorers into his system. Once the Restorers have finished, take him to his cell," Tyr said to the first.  
Two the second, he said, "You- take these tissue samples to cryogenic storage. And be careful, fool! For every cell you damage, I take off a limb!" the doctor roared, his mood changing drastically. He staggered out of the surgery room, smashing into the steel walls of the corridor. With shaking hands, he pulled a glass vial filled with a metallic liquid. Popping the top off with his thumb, he dumped the contents into his gaping, screaming mouth. As the fluid made its way through his system, Dr. Tyr regained his senses. Wiping his mouth, he walked to an interface communicator built into the wall.  
"Genocide. Give me a status report on the escape," Tyr ordered into the receiver.  
"We got him. Not before that... girl had her fun. His situation is critical," Genocide responded.  
"It's a good thing I brought a lot of the Restorer machines. Have a medic assess the dosage. Once he's healed, put him in the guest room," Tyr said, a sadistic smile spreading over his features.  
"And what shall we do about the girl?" Genocide asked. There was a hint of anxiousness in his tone, like a dog begging for a scrap of meat.  
"What the devil are you babbling about? Are you so eager to see Kiyo fail, Genocide? Perhaps you should be more concerned about you own affairs, you dunce. Kiyo has displayed her value to me- what have you done?" Tyr asked, walking towards the bridge.  
Genocide's featureless mask kept him from betraying his emotions, but his whole body burned with rage. Once, he was the most feared cutthroat on the east coast. Now, he was taking insults from a nerd more than two feet shorter than him. He staggered off, taking a moment to tear the damaged panel off the wall, ripping the sheet metal in two.  
He took some small satisfaction in knowing that someday, Tyr would get his.  
After all, his name was Genocide for a reason.  
  
Raven gritted her teeth as she felt a rogue insect scuttle over her leg. Encompassed in shadow, without any ability to move, she had lost all sense of time. Had she been in here hours? minutes? days?  
It is all she can do to keep from screaming. Several times she had passed in and out of consciousness, several times she tried to reach a meditative state, trying to transcend her confines, but to no avail. Things... things just kept changing. Sometimes the walls of the "cell" seemed impossibly small, while other times she had a little room to maneuver. Sometimes she felt creatures heaped on her, and other times she felt only a few.  
Over time, she began to wonder if she was slowly losing sanity. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself. She must stay in control, she must maintain control, or the shadows would come. And when the shadows came, there was blood.  
  
On the bridge, Dr. Tyr gazed at the oncoming storm.  
"Sir? Shall I set a course for the base?" the bridge commander asked tentatively, and with good reason. His predecessor was little more than a stain on the floor.  
"Hmm? Of course. Time is not on our side, not while the sides are still being drawn. Can't any of you lot sense it? The clouds are gathering, soon they will burst! (A/N: My sincerest apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien's corpse)" Tyr said gravely, never moving his eyes from the window.  
The officer saluted, walking away. Tyr took no notice, seemingly enraptured by the flash-bang of the lightning and thunder. Out of the corner of his eye, his horrible, silvery eye, he saw a flash that certainly wasn't thunder. The small jet was a good half mile behind them, he judged, but it was gaining fast.  
Tyr smiled slightly, turning away from the window. Nonchalantly, he strolled over to the security room, announcing his arrival to the young monitor within. "Boy! Make sure to monitor all unmanned escape ports and cargo bays. If you find anything, report it directly to me, understand!?" Tyr ordered. The young man nodded furiously, sighing when the doctor left the room.  
Tyr stood besides the navigator, watching his massive ship speed towards his base. Under his breath he muttered "So, friend, you made your move. Now, it's my turn."  
  
The small jet, aptly named the Monocerous, decelerated as it approached The Sword of Damocles's flank. The Using infrared, the small jet tracked the invisible juggernaut with surprising ease. "Approaching target. Ready the drill," The pilot said to his co-pilot. The co-pilot nodded, punching a few buttons. On the jet's nose, a large drill started to bore into the larger craft's hull.  
Rayfe faced the group, and began his briefing. "Silencers should take care of the drill's noise. Once inside, we won't be able to pick you up unless you send a signal. Command's monitored a few bits of chatter- they're planning on landing by tomorrow, so keep this short. Once we pull away, we can do nothing to assist you- you're on your own. Do you understand?"  
Adila gave Rayfe a salute, which he promptly returned. Conary noticed her cold eyes had a hungry look to them, which he could somewhat understand. From the rumors and gossip he'd heard, this mission was the culmination of her lifetime of training. He himself was a little less eager about this mission; no matter how much he was trained, he still felt like a kid with a few thousand dollars of electronics sewn into his jumpsuit. Hotei was closest to the makeshift entrance, his face as empty as his mind. Batholry was no where to be seen, presumably she was shrouding herself. She had a habit of standing out.  
With a few clicks, their door was opened. The ship repositioned itself with quick, precise motions, allowing the group access. Hotei leaped through the hole like lightning; if there were any enemies on the other side, he would have to hold them back until everyone was through. Luckily enough, the room was empty. Adila scrambled gracefully through the opening, followed by a flow of unseen cold that was Batholry. Stepping up to the plate, Conary eased his way into the room. The crew on the Monocerous quickly patched the hole with several collapsible sheets of metal and some fast-stick epoxy. To Conary, it felt like they were sealing them in a tomb.  
"Okay guys," He whispered hoarsely. "Show time." 


	16. Chapter 15: Beacons

Disclaimer: all characters and locations, unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg  
  
LOCATION: The Sword of Damocles (Earth's upper atmosphere)  
  
The room was dark and dank, resembling an underground cavern rather than the lower deck of a madman's airbase. Hotei looked around nonchalantly, suddenly realizing that he couldn't see anyone. He realized his own dark jumpsuit shrouded his body from view. Only the dull red pole of his naginata was visible in the inky shadow.  
"Hall's clear," Batholry's disembodied voice whispered. "I'm going to scout ahead."  
"Not too far. And stay clear of any electronic machines! We don't want anything shorting out while we're six miles high," Adila whispered. She drew a small plastic cylinder from her pocket, bending it with an audible crack. The glow stick gave off little light, but it was as much as Adila would risk. "There's your path. Get going!" She ordered Conary, gesturing to a nearby ventilation duct. Conary grumbled a few inaudible swears as he dug a small electric screwdriver from his pocket and took off the vent covering. He pushed his laptop into the opening, cracked a glow stick, and then crawled into the rectangular labyrinth.  
After a few minutes, Hotei drew his weapon as Adila opened the door. He crept into the hallway, doing his best to remain hidden in the dim light of the hallway. "Be careful. We don't know if the security system can see us," Adila warned. Warily, the pair made their way through the underbelly of the steel leviathan.  
  
Conary was hot, nervous and cramped in the vent duct, but he knew he had to work fast if the mission was to succeed. Fumbling with the glow stick, he removed a small razor from his belt. "Let's see... Black wire is communications, red wire is power, and blue is security," he said to himself, using the razor to strip the blue wire's insulation. He sighed when he reached the copper core. No fiber optics to deal with today.  
He quickly wrapped a cord to the exposed wire, hooking it to his laptop. Running through a few programs, he found himself looking at the security footage from all over the ship. Quickly he placed the cameras on a six-second delay, insuring that he saw everything happening before the security monitors did. If any of his team was seen, he would have to edit the footage lightning-quick.  
He scanned each camera display with mild scrutiny. Suddenly, a small light flashed on his gloved wrist, causing Conary to flip open his comm. "Are you set?" Adila asked.  
"Yeah, but you don't need to worry. It doesn't look like they monitor the lower levels," Conary replied.  
"Copy that. Any sign of the target?" Adila asked.  
"No. Wait... there's a body in medical. I can't see much, but it's worth a gander. Take the next left turn, and then go to the service elevator. Radio me then. Conary out."  
  
The cell was black as pitch and cold as stone. Starfire was huddled in a corner, facing the wall with arms locked behind her. After several hours of dangling like a worm on a hook, she was tossed into this cell like a piece of trash.  
She had screamed, she had cried; she had endured the guard's heckles and cat-calls, she endured every minute of it. She now sat, cold as the room, and gave in. On this world, this alien world, she found happiness beyond compare. During her time here, she found humans had the capacity to accomplish anything. But in this room, she discovered she was wrong. Humanity was petty, selfish and inhibited by its own self-destructive behavior.  
Realizing this, all she could do now was sit in this corner and wait in her own personal oblivion. Feeling her despair, the darkness of her cell seemed to grow, engorging itself on her inner shadow.  
Light suddenly filled the room. Starfire grudgingly turned around, assuming the voice was nothing more than an illusion, but was met with a wondrous radiance.  
In the middle of her cell floated a girl, glowing like a beacon of hope. Her skin was white as cloud, her hair flowed like sliver, her pallid gown billowed as if caught in a light breeze, all of these shining with an inner light. Her face, with a hopeful grin and wide, pupiless eyes of platinum hue, set aside all doubt in Starfire's mind. The whispy girl put a translucent finger to her mouth, vanishing as quickly as she appeared.  
  
"God dammit Batholry, don't do that!" Conary swore, even though he knew she couldn't hear him (no point in trying to put a comm. on a ghost). He quickly looped the feed, and then took a closer look at the cell Batholry had briefly illuminated. Despite his anger, he couldn't help smiling.  
"Good news- Batholry found one. Still alive, by the look of it," He said, radioing Adila.  
"Where?" Adila asked.  
Conary was about to respond when he felt a firm grip on his ankle. He yelped, pounding the intruding arm with his free foot while furiously inching his was forward. He pushed himself forward as felt the grip weaken, continuing to dislodge the attacker until his leg was free. He heard muffled yells, followed by several mechanic whines. A soft, scuttling sound filled the vent as Conary felt tingling sensations on his arm. Looking down, he saw something like fluid metal covering his whole arm, as well as the rest of his body. All at once, the little things convulsed, harrying his skin with electricity until he went limp.  
He felt himself being hauled out the hole, pulled by ebony gloves into the blackness. His captors trained their guns on him, their features hidden behind black masks.  
"Just a kid," One grunted as Conary hit the floor. The soldier picked Conary up, shoving the barrel of his gun into Conary's ribs. Suddenly a sharp blow fell on his head, and Conary fell to the floor, seeing no more. 


	17. Chapter 16: Awakening

Disclaimer: All characters and locations, unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg

LOCATION: The Sword of Damocles (Earth's upper atmosphere)

Adila was not one to panic. She stood stock still, listening intently to the cracking static that issued from her comm. The radio silence seemed to fan the fires of her doubt: Conary had been compromised. She quickly shut off the receiver, hoping that the guards wouldn't think there were multiple intruders.

She felt a small tingling in the back of her head, and she knew Hotei was instinctively trying to understand the situation. "He needs help, Hotei. I'll go on ahead, and you make sure he doesn't leave with them!" She grunted. Hotei nodded and silently sprinted back down the hall. Adila wedged open the elevator door and began the arduous climb upward.

"Check the vent. Make sure he didn't leave anything in there," The head guard snorted as he nudged Conary's limp form. He walked over the sliver puddle of nano-machines that seeped out of the vent, brushing the pool with his fingertips. The nano-machines quivered, crawling up his arm and disappearing into his suit.

"Patrol #2, report," spat the head guard's walkie-talkie.

"Tell the security chief to ready the guest room," The guard replied, "Because Doc's grandma decided to pay a visit." The other soldiers snickered, making their way through Conary's pack. "Cut that out! Anything he's got is contraband, so keep your damn fingers to yourselves! Now, get him out of here!" The head guard yelled.

The bickering ceased as the door flew open. Hotei stood in the opening, gripping his weapon menacingly. "He goes nowhere! Drop him!" He pointed the tip of the paper-wrapped blade at the guards.

The soldiers trained their guns on him. "Whadaya gonna do, kid? Give me a paper cut?" the head guard asked, leveling his fist with Hotei's face. Silver fluid seeped from his uniform, turning into a whip-like scourge. He raised his arm and brought it down, the flails cracking as they broke the sound barrier.

Hotei leapt, rising over a wall of bullets and metal. He landed squarely on one soldier, and then tripped another one, using his fist to hasten the fall. 'It's odd,' Hotei thought, 'but this... this feels somehow familiar...' Indeed, though this was his first taste of true combat, he fought with experience beyond his years. Nimbly dodging a spray of gunfire, he instinctively hurled the soldier into a wall.

"Get up, shoot him! For Christ's sake, he's a god-damned kid!" the head guard roared, lashing out with his scourge. Hotei raised his naginata, allowing the silver whip to wrap around it. He pulled hard, intending to disarm the man, but found his weapon moved through the lashes like jelly. He fell, hard, as the head guard moved in. "Nifty weapon, eh? It's the one thing that makes Doc useful. Light as a feather, hard as titanium, but also as soft as water," The guard laughed. As he did, the flails all merged, turning into a wicked blade, aimed at Hotei's throat. "Say goodnight, kid."

As he lunged, the blade seemed to disintegrate, falling to the ground like metal sand. The guard's features were racked with tension as his body twitched in an unnatural spasm. An acrid burning smell filled the room as the guard collapsed to the floor. Conary stood over him, holding a small taser in his outstretched hand. Blood ran down the left side of his face from an unseen cut under his dark hair.

"Goddamned bloody sucker-punching shit eaters!" Conary growled, delivering a kick into the guard's gut with each syllable. He looked around the room, then at Hotei. "Thanks for the help, man, but I could've handled it. Where's Adila?" he asked.

"She went on ahead. She told me to come back here. Is there a problem?" Hotei replied.

"Well, not if you consider that the crew knows we're here! We'll have to catch up with Adila. We can't stay here, at any rate," Conary said, nudging the soldiers aside.

The room filled with cold as Batholry emerged in a pale radiance. "The vessel's buzzing! These... these dark soldiers know we are here! They're heading this way!" she said. Her face changed from shock to concern as she noticed Conary's wound. "Conary! Are you ok?" she asked, placing a translucent hand on her teammate's head. Conary sighed as the cold numbed some of the pain.

"We must keep moving. Adila is at greater risk without support," Hotei said. Conary picked up his laptop and ran into the hall, as Batholry and he followed their friend into the lion's den.

She slinked into the room, barely existing as she stuck to the shadows and corners. With Conary MIA and the others gone, darkness was her only friend. And yet, it seemed natural that she was here. All her life she had trained to be the ultimate infiltrator, a completely self-reliant cell. Now that she stood alone, she realized this was the defining moment of her life.

Adila pressed flat against the wall, sneaking towards the door. She drew a small wire from her pocket, slipping it under the door. Camera showed the coast was clear. She took a breath and punched the large green button on the door panel. As it slid open, a fist lunged for her face.

Adila's knees instinctively gave way, forcing herself to the ground. The attacker leapt into the room, throwing herself on Adila. Adila caught the assailant, barely avoiding a blow to the abdomen. With all her might, Adila threw the attacker into the wall.

Both stood and faced each other. The attacker's porcelain face was alive with surprise and anger, violently pushing ebony braids out of her face. "You... where is he!? Where is he hiding!? I know he is here, I can sense his presence..." Kiyo cried.

Adila reached both arms behind her, unstrapping a pair of heavy, foot long rods from her back. As she did, wrist mounted cables locked themselves to the cylinders. "I don't know who you're looking for," Adila said, "But if you're looking for a fight, you found one!"

With that, she threw the weighted bars at Kiyo. The Asian girl dodged it easily, leaping onto the wall and rebounding off, aiming a kick at Adila. Adila swung the bars on their cables, catching Kiyo's arm. Using her momentum, Adila slammed her opponent into the ground. Adila smiled grimly, yanking her weapons back to her. Her ears tensed suddenly; a soft, whizzing sound filled the air.

Kiyo leapt from the pit, brandishing a sliver pole. Gripping the end, she charged Adila with sheer brute force. Adila stumbled as she retreated, cringing as the pole came down.

Shots rang out. Through the door a cadre of black-suited security officers stomped, led by a crimson giant. "Enough," Genocide said gruffly, leveling a massive pistol with Kiyo's face.

"Idiot! You order me nothing!" Kiyo said, taking a step toward the towering man.

"Stow it. Security's gonna need to interrogate her. Now put the weapon down," Genocide replied angrily.

Kiyo stepped back, then turned, preparing to strike the mercenary. As all attention on the room was focused on them, no one noticed a trio of green metallic spheres rolling into the room...

Lightning and thunder erupted as the flash-bangs went off, with Kyio and Genocide in their epicenter. Rushing wind followed the roar, as pressure leaked through a large breach in the hull. "FALL BACK! FALL BACK!" Genocide roared, shoving the troops through the door. Once he reached the other side of the door, he sealed it.

Amidst the chaos, Adila frantically clawed for a handgrip. She was being pulled by a huge force, threatening to send her falling several miles into the ice and snow below her. She soon found herself halfway out the ship as a hand clasped her wrist.

She saw Conary clinging to a wall, trapped in a tug of war between herself and the handhold. She also saw Kiyo step towards him. "Conary! Look out!" Adila yelled above the din.

Batholry closed in on Kiyo, her face filled with protective rage. Kiyo held the silver pole up, which morphed into an apple-sized ball in her hand. Bolts of electricity issued from it, stopping Batholry in her place.

"You'll... have to... do better... than that..." Batholry grunted, her face creased in pain. Still, she urged herself forward, reaching her frost hands for Kiyo's face. Kiyo remained impassive as the voltage increased. Batholry let out a horrible shriek, as her body flashed solid white, and slumped into unconsciousness. Her pearly body floated was pulled by the wind into the clear blue skies.

"BATHOLRY!" Conary cried, as Adila lunged for the ghost. For moments, her hand grasped the white body of her teammate, but the spirit girl's hand slipped through her fingers.

Hotei watched this all with wide brown eyes. Suddenly, his body shook in fury as he ran at the Asian girl. He would make this one suffer for harming his friend. The girl heard his roar of anguish and turned to face this new opponent.

Upon seeing his face, Kiyo's features went wide. Hotei's charge ended abruptly, as he gazed on her face. A small smile played on her lips, as a single tear rolled down her face. Her extended hand fell to her side, dropping her weapon.

They stood, facing each other for what seemed like an eternity, oblivious to their surroundings. Finally, Kiyo took a step forward. Hotei raised his weapon, maintaining his distance from the girl, the strange girl who seemed so... familiar.

As she stepped towards him, he found himself standing at the edge of the gaping rift. Besides him, he could see Adila and Conary holding onto the ship for dear life. Their grip was slipping.

Kiyo's smile had faded by now, and her hair waved wildly in the winds. As she took another step towards Hotei, one of the weights in her hair came loose, smacking Hotei in the chest.

He fell with a mix of uncertainty and confusion running across his face. As he began to slip into the blue, Conary's hand came free from the hull, sending both Adila and he plummeting to the ice below.

The ground rushed to greet them. Hotei saw everything fly past him with inhuman detachment.

'Is this is?' a voice asked in his mind. 'Have you come this far, just to fall?'

"No," Hotei answered. "The girl... she holds some significance for me. When I saw her, I knew something was beginning..."

'And will you let it end? Will you let it fall?' the voice asked.

"I can't... there are so many things left unfinished," Hotei muttered, almost lyrically.

'You are too late. You have already begun your fall!' the voice replied, becoming ominous.

"No..." Hotei said. "It can't end this way..."

'You are near, now! So close to your end, and you are powerless to stop it!' the voice laughed.

"I'm not... I'm not powerless!" Hotei cried. Strength ran though him as he roared, "I WON'T LET IT END THIS WAY!"

Blue light ripped from his chest, surrounding the bodies of the monk and his comrades. Moments before impact, they slowed to a crawl, as the orbs of azure light deposited them on the snow.

Immense fatigue filled Hotei. As he began to slumber, thoughts ran through his mind. He saw himself, yet each time his appearance and name had changed. He had lived a thousand lives, each one different from the last.

Not like her. She had lived a thousand lifetimes, maintaining her form and spirit, patiently waiting. Waiting for him. The startling realization struck him: the girl on the ship. Though he himself had lived under many names, she had only one.

Her name was Kiyo, and she was the key to his destiny.


	18. Chapter 17: An Offer of Silver

Disclaimer: All characters and locations, unless featured in the Teen Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.

LOCATION: Unknown (Somewhere on the continent of Antarctica

"Uh... is this heaven?" Conary asked, rubbing his head as he sat up. The sky was a vivid blue, interrupted only by the occasional cloud. Sun rained down on the frozen ground, making the ground seem like it was solid light. It was beautiful, but the freezing winds also made it bitterly inhospitable.

"It's like death... a horrible marvel," Conary said, almost prosaically. Suddenly, a frigid gale brought him back to reality. He gazed in every direction, searching for some sign from his team.

"Ergh..." a voice said faintly from behind him. Conary jumped for cover, hiding from his unseen enemy. Instead, he found Batholry, sprawled on the ground before him. Her white skin, normally so distinctive, made her invisible in the environment. Her eyes were closed; her body moved little. Conary knelt down, checking to see if there were any injuries.

"Don't be retarded dude, she's a fricken' ghost!" Conary said, laughing weakly. "C'mon Batholry, time to get up!" He yelled, cupping his hand to the ghost's ear. Batholry's body shifted; white lids opened to reveal her haunting eyes.

"What... what happened? We- Where is the sky ship? Why are we not on it!?" Batholry asked in a nervous voice.

"We fell. We fell for a while, I think. I don't even think we should've survived, but we did, and if I survived, then Adila and Hotei should've survived too, but where the hell are they?" Conary asked. Batholry shook her head.

Conary procured his satchel from the snow near his crater, digging through it furiously. "The comp survived! Good thing too, I still need to back up all those government files... but let's see... perfect!" Conary muttered, producing a long-range communicator and a handful of hand-warmers.

"We can find the others with that?" Batholry asked.

"Yeah, and call Rayfe for evac, among other things," Conary replied, extending the receiver antennae. He started walking off into the snow, while Batholry slowly floated alongside him. For a while, Conary fiddled with the various knobs and buttons, trying to get some semblance of a signal. At last he put the communicator back in his bag.

"Jesus, you'd think the government might spend a few bucks to include Antarctica in the damn calling plan. Long-range my ass," Conary grumbled, shoving a hand-warmer in his shirt.

They trudged along, walking a floating respectively, in a somber silence. After a while, Conary broke the silence. "Hey Batholry- what's it like to be dead?"

Batholry remained silent for a while longer. Finally replying, "Pretty cheeky, asking the dead about death. I suppose I get to ask you what's it like to be alive, then?"

Conary shivered slightly, rubbing his arms together. "Well, I thought it might be good if I knew, because odds are I'm gonna die in the waste as is," he said tentatively.

Batholry laughed a little, then grew silent. Concerned, Conary said, "its fine if you don't want to talk about it-"

"When you die," Batholry interrupted, "You see all. For the briefest of moments, you see everything The Maker has made, made, and has yet to make."

"...What then?" Conary asked.

"After that, I saw nothing. Blackness took me, robbed me of sight, of sound and scent... everything, all I could feel was cold. I spent... days? Centuries, like that? I don't know anymore, it seems so long past. I remember... there was fury. Great anger, pushed the coldness away, so was my desire for justice. The darkness was gone, and I found myself in my rotting home, just a thing that refused to die without atonement. That is death, Conary. My death."

Conary fell silent. Another draft pierced the air, kicking up the jagged snow from the ground. He brought up his arm to shield his face, and as he did, he noticed a familiar light flashing on his wrist...

"Holy shit, I'm an IDIOT," Conary cried, opening the comm. channel. "Are you guys ok?" he asked hastily.

"...Fine. Cold... broken.... position?" Adila's answered, obscured by static.

"I can't hear you!" Conary replied. Suddenly, he heard a shot fired. He whirled around, expecting to see more black-clad soldiers, but found only white.

"Conary- look!" Batholry exclaimed, pointing into the sky. Conary looked up, half-expecting to see a helicopter, coming to air-lift them to safety. Instead, he saw something like a second sun; a tiny white star, falling slowly to earth.

"A flare..." Conary muttered. It wasn't too far, either. He set off sprinting across the ice, with Batholry in tow. As he approached the smoldering flare, he could see two dots, presumably Adila and Hotei, coming towards them.

"HOTEI! ADILA!" Batholry shouted, flying over the tundra with her ghostly speed. Conary did his best to keep up, but as he reached his end, his foot caught on the snowy floor, sending him to the ground.

Hotei and Adila latched onto his wrists firmly, pulling Conary to his feet. He saw in their faces, both cold as the snow, and could not speak. He saw what had them.

On the ground was a large metal tunnel. It sloped into darkness, interrupted by the occasional lazy fan.

"A vent... but why here? And why this big?" Conary asked.

"Tyr's base. Intelligence says it runs miles below the continent. It's bigger than Manhattan," Adila said. Picking up a chunk of ice and tossing it in. Conary recognized the look on her face.

"Look, it's fair to warn you, I've not the best experiences with vents..." He muttered.

Adila silenced him with a glare, saying, "Stow it. Our mission isn't over yet." And with a glance down the vent, she added, "We're going in."

The Sword of Damocles had landed several hours ago, and there was already work to be done.

Genocide cleaned his guns as he prepared to enter the brig. Word brought little hope for the guards stationed outside the... witch's... cell. Men were going missing left and right, but there was no sign of prison break. Still, The Doc ordered him to investigate the matter personally.

"I don't know what that dumb ass is thinking, keepin' filth like these brats around," Genocide muttered, holstering his weapons. He felt extremely skeptical about his boss' plan, (mostly because he knew too little about it), and besides, powers like these were dangerous to control, much less imprison.

Especially that girl, Kiyo... she might be the most dangerous of all. Though he knew little of her, there were times when he felt she was strong. Stronger than he? Genocide grimaced, looking at his crimson fist. That girl... he would break her.

Above him, the light panels began to flicker. The acrid smell of electric fire filled the air. He upholstered his weapons, and moved toward the brig door.

"Entering the lion's den. How brave of you," came a soft, mocking voice from behind.

Genocide whirled, guns raised. When he recognized the speaker, he lowered his hands. "You? Here? You've come far. You got business with The Doc?" Genocide snorted from behind his faceless mask.

"You... could say that. But right now, I need to speak with you. About what Tyr is planning," replied the speaker.

"Well, shit buddy. He doesn't tell me nothin'," Genocide said, his voice laced with contempt.

"You know the truth, Genocide. You know he's losing his sanity; you know that, sooner or later, those injections won't be able to save him anymore."

Genocide nodded.

The Speaker began walking away, saying, "Then we are finished, for now. I just have one piece of advice for you: if he makes an offer of silver, take it."

As the last words fell on Genocide's ears, the speaker was gone.

"Whatever," Genocide muttered, opening the door.

It was like someone had covered everything in black paint. Light panels had been shattered, their wires sparking erratically. Fires had sprouted from holes in the walls and floor, yet their orange flares did little to ease the shadow. In the center of it all, an impossibly tall hooded figure hunched over a pair of guards. The guards themselves were curled in the fetal position, grasping their skulls. They were probably dead.

Genocide cocked his pistol, lining the barrel up with the figure's head. With cruel unemotional accuracy, he squeezed off four shots with both guns. The bullets sped towards the figure, bringing the message of death with them.

The shadows of the room shivered, and then surged towards the two figures. A pillar of black rose from the ground, blocking the bullets path. Simultaneously, lashes of shadow appeared on Genocide's limbs, their strong grip nearly making him drop his weapons.

"Fool... you... think... you can... kill me...?" Panted the hooded figure. A blue cloak rippled around her body as she turned to face him. Under the hood, her face was black as the room, save for the eyes.

There were four, all of them blazing with unholy crimson energy. Her lips parted; her smile seemed composed entirely of fangs. "Fool... you are all fools! Each of you thinks you are some god, some omnipotent being! You are deceived, all of you!" shouted the girl. "You don't understand... you could never understand... the end is nigh! His time is near at hand... Father's time..."

Genocide could feel his arms being crushed by the constrictions of the tentacles. Gritting his teeth, he focused all his energies on maintaining consciousness.

"YOU WILL FEAR! ALL WILL TREMBLE AT HIS NAME AND MINE, FOR I AM RAVEN, AND I AM OF TRIGON!" shrieked Raven, her words growing more unstable. Energy surged all over the room as each word escaped her lips, tightening the bonds of Genocide.

For a moment, the energy emissions subsided. Genocide felt the coils lax; he quickly emptied his guns into the girl's face. Raven clutched her eyes, yowling horribly as the pain filled her being. Genocide mustered all his strength, ripping himself free and dashing the door.

The minute he slammed the door shadows pressed against it, trying to force their way past the obstacle. Genocide quickly slapped on his communicator, opening the security frequency. He was relatively sure his bullets didn't do anything but piss her off.

With her powers, that was not a good place for her to be.

"I need a lockdown on brig section 14-D. If the prisoner gets out, be prepared to flood this level," Genocide said.

"Copy that, sir. The Boss needs to speak with you," replied the security officer.

Genocide stood impatiently in Tyr's laboratory. Usually, the Doc only called him here to chastise him, but he could tell something was amiss. He was hustled into a large room by a pair of medical officers, who left abruptly. Large computer screens dominated the walls, showing various readouts on medical studies and the Doc's other weird projects.

"Genocide, your timing is impeccable," Tyr said, stepping into the room. He was followed by two more medical officers, wheeling in a pair of sheet-covered stretchers. "Do you remember why you accepted my job offer at the beginning of all this?"

Genocide didn't like the sound of the question. "Uh... yea. You promised me power. Unquestionably power," he responded, doing his best to hide his suspicions.

"Yes, power. The one thing we all search for, yet so hard to find," The doctor said poetically. "Look in here, please," Tyr added, holding up a small retinal scanner to Genocide's mask.

Genocide complied, staring into the box for a few minutes. Suddenly, a beeping noise came from the box, which Tyr immediately gave to one of the officers. "An amazing little device, that is. The nanomachines in you body, or more specifically, your brain, are able to transmit all their information into a data drive inside that box. Your memories, your identity all now exist in here," Tyr explained, pulling the sheets off the stretchers.

On one was the green child abducted from Titan's Tower, known as "Beast Boy." The thing on the right... it could maybe of been a clone, but emerald skin was replaced with metallic surfaces. The silver being looked older, brawnier, and more bestial than the green boy.

"My finest work," Tyr said proudly. "Composed entirely of nanomachines, each encoded with the child's DNA. With some slight alterations, of course." Tyr walked over to the wall, pressed a few buttons and opened a drawer. "Of course, the only thing it needs now is a mind." The doctor added, hiding something behind his back.

"Power is what you desire, Genocide? Verily, it shall be yours," Tyr said, taking a gun from behind his back. "It's no use struggling," Tyr added, his silver eye flashing. "The nanomachines won't let you."

Shoving the barrel in Genocide's face, the doctor started laughing uncontrollably. As he fired, one last thought appeared in the chaos of Genocide's mind.

An offer of silver...


End file.
